The Darkness Within
by sagittarii
Summary: "We are but dust and shadow." Lucy's heart is being corrupted for purposes unknown, and the men who love her must fight against their own desires to save her. Rated M for explicit adult content/themes. [2016.03.22 - Currently undergoing rewrite. Updates delayed until completed.]
1. Chapter 01

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 1:**

She brushed the dust off the edges of her skirt, sighing lightly as she noticed the ragged edges and loose threads. "I just bought this thing two days ago," she whined to herself. Her eyes lifted to the dust storm of people before her; she couldn't make out her friends within the mess of conflict anymore. The sound of clashing weapons and war cries deafened her ears as she ran back into the fray.

The dense fog of sand and dust obscured her vision, and she fumbled back into someone. She jumped, turning and ducking at the flying fist aimed at her head. Instinct took over as she fell to her knees before releasing a floor sweeping kick to trip her assailant. Her fingers gripped the whip to her side, and she swiftly released the flow of stars with a flick of her wrist. As she stood, she let her arm dance through the air in a movement, sending the lash to his neck. Another flick of the wrist, and her whip tightened its grip. On the balls of her feet and with all the might carried within her body, she spun and he followed with the flow of her whip. He was sent flying, knocking into the two assailants who were approaching her from behind. She coughed, the dust irritating the back of her throat as she breathed heavily. She stepped backwards as someone moved towards her, and her eyes glanced back as she felt herself bump into a shoulder. Her instinct to attack stopped as she saw the pink of his hair and his eyes fell to her. They nodded once and returned their attention to the mess before them.

As swiftly as the fighting had begun, it stopped. She huffed, coughing through staggered breath. She felt a bump to her right and caught the hint of flowing crimson hair before her attention fell back to the growing number of standing shadows before her. The dust began to swirl at her feet before it lifted. Eyes closed, she shielded her nose with her mouth until she felt the air quell around her ankles. She snapped her head up to survey the situation – to her right was the fiery redhead with her sword dangerously poised at the ready; behind her was the bare-chested black haired wizard with his frosty hands sparkling with the newly formed pointed ice sword; and to her left was the blazing pink haired man with a unconscious blue winged cat cradled in one arm and a clenched fist to his side. Surrounded. They were surrounded, and it seemed to be rows of goons.

Her fingers flicked through her keys. She was drained, but she pushed against the mental and emotional wall that had formed within her. She grasped two keys between her fingers. Under muttered and hurried breath, she summoned her spirits to her aid again, "Gate of the Goat, I open thee! Capricorn! Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo!" The tall goat and the suited orange haired man appeared in a flash of golden light, still battered from their earlier appearance. They quickly moved into defensive positions in front of her. "I'm sorry to call upon you so quickly," she muttered to them, "but I need you."

His suit jacket moved with the wind. "We are here for you, Lucy," he responded.

The silence lingered in her ears as she kept her eyes focused. "Thank you," she spoke through the quiet before the clash. It was the last thing she heard before they rushed into the surrounding army before them.

Hidden in the shadows of the forest, he watched silently. He watched her, watched as her body moved and danced in the battle. His eyes hungered for her, devouring the sight of her. A corner of his mouth curled up to a smile as the sun caught the strands of her golden hair. The words whispered in his mind, 'Lucy Heartfilia.'


	2. Chapter 02

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 2:  
**

"Augh," Lucy complained softly as she rubbed her bruised shoulder. "That was tougher than I thought it was going to be." Her eyes fell to the curled ball of blue on her lap. A small pained smile on her lips as she gently petted the sleeping cat, her fingers lightly feeling the linen bandage around his head.

Across from her, Erza nodded with a serious look on her face, her arms folded across her armored chest. She glanced out the window as the scenery continued to move past her view. "The reward seems paltry considering the numbers we faced."

Scratching his neck, Gray leaned his head back against the cushioned seat and he closed his eyes. "Glad you didn't take this job solo, Lucy," he said.

Beside him, Erza nodded in agreement. "It is a good thing none of us took that job solo."

She nodded. While she hated being saved time and time again by her friends, Lucy admitted to herself that this particular job really needed to be a team effort.

"Flamebrain over there was right to insist," the ice wizard flatly spoke. He didn't bother opening his eyes, instead folding his hands behind his head as he sunk deeper into the seat.

The green-faced dragon slayer moaned in agony as he pulled his head from out the open window, his pink hair messy from the wind caused by the train that chugged along the tracks. "What you say, ice for-," he stopped to cover his mouth with his hand as his cheeks bloated out as the contents of his stomach made its way up his throat. Natsu quickly threw his head back out the window as he painfully swallowed the contents that had wormed its way into his mouth. He let the cool air whip around his head. "I'll deal with you later," he muttered under his breath.

Lucy chuckled lightly as she watched her seatmate struggle with his ride home. She leaned back into the cushion of her seat and closed her eyes. She let her ears listen to the sounds of their train moving along the tracks. It was good to be going home, good to be part of a team, and good to be part of this particular family of amazing misfits. Her ears picked up the sad whine of Natsu beside her, and all she could do was smile.

. . . . .

Lucy stretched her arms over her head as she let the hot water wash over her. Her hands moved over her sides gingerly as she washed the stench of their last mission from her skin. She sighed at the bruise that had begun to form at her waist. "Hazards of the job," she whispered to herself as she made a mental note to ask Wendy to heal it for her tomorrow. Water off, Lucy gathered her wet hair into her hands and twisted to drain as much out of her strands before wrapping the towel around her. The cool air touched her warm skin as she moved from her bathroom to her closet to change. She considered just collapsing into her bed, but stopped at the thought of the possible intrusion of Natsu and Happy in the morning. Being woken up suddenly while in the nude wouldn't do. Lucy sighed slightly as she changed and dried her hair before sliding between the cool sheets of her bed. She sunk deep into the mattress, letting sleep collect her.

He stepped out from the shadows, sliding swiftly and silently to her bed. His form solidified from the dark, turning from shadow to man within a second's though. He had followed her, slinking in the dark at a safe distance to avoid being noticed by her and her teammates. He slipped into her home, melding into the shadows of her room. He waited for the heavy breath of sleep, waited for her to dream. He stared down at her, allowing a hand to hover over her head and moving it over her heart.

"Pulvis et umbra sumus," (1) he whispered as a trickle of smoke appeared from his palm. "We are but dust and shadow." The black smoke slithered towards her chest and the tip began to form, splitting open as a mouth of a snake with fangs poised at the ready. "Plant the seeds of darkness to cast out the light," he finished as the black snack bit into her chest. He watched as her lips parted and released a hurried breath, and he felt a seed of darkness slip into her heart. The snake dissipated, and the marks over her heart closed and disappeared into her skin. As she settled back into the mattress, he lingered over her, watching as her chest moved up and down in the moonlight. He stayed the lust that burned through him before he disappeared into the shadows. He would need to prepare her before he could have her, and so he began to plan his next moves from the dark.

* * *

Notes:

(1) Source: Horace, Odes Book IV, vii, 16.


	3. Chapter 03

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 3:**

Natsu jumped easily onto the ledge of her window, slamming the window wide open. "Yo, Luce!" he greeted the celestial mage in the bed below. He tilted his head to the side as she stirred to sit. He waited as she rubbed her eyes. He caught the quick smile in her eyes before the annoyance reached her mouth.

"Oy! Natsu!" she complained. "Use the door!" she barked.

"Too much effort," he shrugged with his usual carefree smile, "and this is far more efficient." Natsu hopped onto the foot of her bed and ignored her shriek. "Happy's resting at our place, so I wanted to know if you wanted to grab some breakfast together before we head out for your training session today."

Lucy smiled, "Sure." She threw the blanket off her and slid out of bed. She lifted her arms over her head and stretched, allowing her body to lengthen to soothe her tightened muscles. The bottom of her night camisole lifted to expose her lower back, and her already-too-short shorts lifted a little to lengthen her already long legs. As she lifted to her toes, Lucy felt her calves tighten and release as she lowered herself back down.

His eyes lingered over her form. He considered grabbing her and pulling him towards his body. He wanted to explore every curve, to let his hands feel the heat from her skin. His mouth seemed dry to him, and a voice in his head kept telling him that licking every part of Lucy would end the thirst.

She looked over her shoulder to look at Natsu, "What were you thinking?" She moved towards her closet.

Natsu shifted his gaze to a corner of the room before she could have caught him staring. "I don't know. What do you have around here?" he answered quickly, not losing a beat.

She stopped, letting her head drop a little. "Augh," she muttered. Straightening, she waved her hand towards the kitchen. "Let me get ready first, and then I'll make you something," she resigned to him before disappearing into her closet, closing the door behind her. She stared at her choices, trying to decide what she felt like wearing. She felt a little sassy – no, frisky – today, so she settled on a dangerously short and dark pleated skirt before rummaging for a top that would match her mood.

Not moving from her bed, his eyes lingered at the closed doors. Natsu felt the sheets, still warm from her body, under his hands. He took in her scent, which always filled her whole apartment. He smiled a little, leaning back against the window sill and letting his weight sink into the mattress as he took in a deep breath to let the usual scent of vanilla inundate his senses. She always smelled so sweet, and her scent was especially overwhelming in the morning. He took in another deep breath, letting the warmth of her apartment fill him, and his senses caught the addition of something new, though he couldn't quite put his finger on the change.

A flicker from the corner of his eye stopped him from trying to name the new scent, and he suddenly turned his head towards a dark corner of her apartment. He saw nothing, but his skin prickled in an eerie sensation. Before Natsu could stand, the closet doors open and he let his mouth drop a little as his breath caught in his throat. All he could do was watch her.

Lucy pressed the clasp of her belt closed and shifted the pouch of keys to her side. The short burgundy skirt rode up her legs and swayed with her hips as she moved towards the bathroom. Her breasts pushed together by the tight and low cut grey v-neck thin-knitted top. As she turned, his eyes fell to sheer lace back. As she walked in her short burgundy heels, it seemed as if she danced on air.

He watched as her hands moved to her arms and moved the form-hugging sleeves up to her elbows. His eyes lingered on her fingers as she moved her hands up the back of her neck as she gathered her hair into a ponytail and began to clean up the strands of her hair by her ears. His ears had caught the shift in her breathing as she gathered the loose strands of her hair near the nape of her neck, and he caught the sight of goosebumps forming as fingers brushed against her own skin. As quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared.

The sound of water woke him out of his silence, and he let out his breath. Natsu stood, scratching the back of his head absentmindedly. He felt the usual tug in his body whenever he saw her, but it was stronger that morning. It made him antsy. He moved towards the kitchen, forgetting the corner of Lucy's room. He craved to keep the image of her in his memory, and he spent the effort to remember everything he had just seen.

"Okay," she spoke up behind him. Lucy flashed him a smile as Natsu turned. "I think I have some rice, and I'll whip us up some eggs." She moved past him, and the scent of vanilla followed her.


	4. Chapter 04

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 4:**

Lucy huffed through ragged breaths as she slid low on the ground, keeping a leg out as she kept the other bent. She kept crouched, staring at the fire enveloped dragon slayer before her. Her free hand gripped at the whip, the flow of stars flowing by her feet. She calculated her next move as she slowly rose to her feet and wiped the dust off her cheek. Her eyes focused on him.

He couldn't quite remember when the weekly sparring matches with Lucy began, but he found himself enjoying them from the very first match. At first, she couldn't keep up with him, and Natsu remembered how he never broke a sweat as he defended himself from her attacks. But, she grew stronger and their fights grew in intensity. Though today's battle marked a new level, one that he was sure to mentally note to himself. She hadn't held back, and he found himself using a bit more energy than he had planned and anticipated.

Natsu grinned, smiling cheekily at his friend. She stood there in the middle of the clearing, staring him down with an intensity that sent a quiet shiver up his spine. He did his best to ignore how her hair shimmered in the light as the ribbon that held it in its ponytail flew away. The edges of her hair lightly framed around her chin as the wind moved. His eyes flickered to the torn burgundy skirt and grey top. Her legs dirty with sweat and scratches and her chest heaving from exertion, Natsu felt a low hungry growl lingering at the back of his throat.

She gripped the key high and between her fingers as she called out, "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo!" A light shimmered before her, and Loke appeared, wearing his slick dark suit. He glanced at her from behind his glasses with his signature smile on his lips, a smile that he noted she returned. In an instance, he took off to the right, running with amazing speed towards Natsu. She ran to the left, pulling out another key "Gate of the Golden Bull, I open thee! Taurus!"

The giant cow appeared, brandishing his Labrys. "Lucy! I shall protect your hot rockin' body!" he called out as he ran towards Natsu after Loke. Lucy grumbled a complaint as she dashed farther to the left.

Natsu blocked and dodged the attacks upon him, flaring up his flames as he punched back. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lucy dash towards him. He blasted Loke and Taurus away, before turning to face her. He threw a fist towards her and watched as she jumped high in the air to avoid his punch, her whip at the ready. He pulled his arm back as he caught sight of the flick of her wrist and her river of stars wrapped around his arm.

Lucy flipped slowly in the air. "Too slow," she complained in earnest to herself as she soared in the air. She tugged at her whip before landing behind Natsu.

He turned, grabbing the lash with his free hand and pulling her towards him. "Too slow!" he shouted at her. Natsu snarled dangerously at her, a deep hunger suddenly bubbling as he felt the tension of the magical lash on his arm. He pulled against her, attempting to pull her into him.

"Now!" Lucy screamed as she dug her heels into the dirt, willing her weight to an unnatural heaviness as she pulled against Natsu.

Natsu's eyes widened as Taurus and Loke rushed on either side of him. He heard Loke's call for Regulus and he caught the flash of Taurus about ready to swing his weapon towards him. He pushed off, rolling towards Lucy to avoid their attacks. He felt momentum carry him towards her as she pulled on her whip.

Lucy lost her footing as she felt the sudden release of tension. She landed on the ground and closed her eyes as she felt her body come into contact with his. "Omphf!" she exclaimed as the wind was knocked from her lungs. She opened her eyes to find Natsu laying over her, one hand on the ground to keep him above her and the other formed in fiery fist poised over her head. His eyes were dark with a recognizable fierceness that she found comforting. The earthly smell of him surrounded her.

"Give up?" he breathed out in a low and dangerous tone, with a bold smile in his eyes. Natsu caught her softly gasping under him and felt as her chest moved heavily with her breaths. She radiated heat under him, and the smell of her sweat invigorated him. He felt her leg bend and rest against his hip. His hand lost its flames and it lowered by her head. "Lucy," he began softly and he suddenly felt the need to taste the sweat on her skin. They stared at each other.

She smiled lightly as her hands absentmindedly moved to his bare chest. Lucy lifted her head off the ground, moving it closer to his. "No," she uttered to him, her eyes flickering to the side for an instance, before she let her head fall back to the ground as she pushed against his chest to push him away from her.

Natsu opened his mouth to respond as he turned his head to see what had caught her attention. He had no time to react to the swift kick to his gut that sent him flying off her. He grunted as he flew and rolled away from her body and looked up to see Loke lowering his foot. The two shared a tense look.

The spirit smoothly pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stared down Natsu, ignoring the glare the pink haired slayer directed towards him. He looked down to Lucy, who was smiling up at him, and took her outreached hand that she offered to him. Feeling Natsu's eyes on them, he pulled her up swiftly and into his arms, "Are you alright, love?" He felt her hand rest over his heart while the other remained on her chest. Loke made a show of pushing her hair behind her ear, feeling her shudder as his fingers brushed near her neck. He flashed his usual flirtatious smile as the hand on her lower back pulled her closer to his body. He noted the lack of rejection on her part, and it surprised him even more when her smile matched the mischievous spirit of his own.

"Yes," she responded. "Thank you, Loke. I couldn't hold Taurus here any longer. I'm guessing he had to go back?" she said before turning to Natsu, who stared at her with a look she couldn't quite describe.

"Aye." Loke turned to stare at him, smirking lightly at the heated look in his eyes. He tightened his embrace, pulling Lucy even closer. He felt her center press against his waist and felt the hand on his chest tighten to grip the fabric of his shirt. His senses heightened with the feel of her. Loke noted that he found particular pleasure in the increased hatred that seemed to flash in Natsu's eyes for one reason or another.

She nodded, still staring at Natsu who hadn't moved from the ground. A devilish smirk curled the corners of her mouth. "You," she pointed a finger at her pink haired opponent, "let your guard down." She dared him with her tone. "Stupid move, dragon."

His gaze softened as it moved from Loke to Lucy. "I won't let that happen again," he told her as he stood, dusting himself off. "No fair sticking your love-sick puppy on me though." He waved a hand nonchalantly in the air. He took note of her hand on Loke's chest, his hands quickly turning into fists by his side. He could also see her standing tall in Loke's arms as the wind moved her tattered skirt and his suit jacket. A twinge of jealously poked at him at how natural the celestial mage looked in the arms of her spirit. She glowed with a radiance he couldn't describe. He wondered if she ever looked that natural in his whenever he saved her.

Loke shrugged as he peered at Natsu through his dark glasses. "I am Lucy's," he said pointedly. "She may use me in any manner she wishes." He smirked as Natsu's lips formed a disapproving line. He listened to her soft chuckle, and he caught the sight of her cheeks reddening at the thought.

Natsu stood taller, squeezing his hands into tighter fists. He kept his eyes on Lucy, purposely avoiding Loke's stare. "Ready, mage?" he called out to her, bearing his teeth at her through a playful smile.

"Ready, dragon."

He smiled wildly, his hands flashing into fiery fists. He roared as he rushed towards her and her spirit, taking careful aim at the lion spirit as he forced them apart.


	5. Chapter 05

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 5:**

Lucy submerged herself into the hot water before lifting herself back up into a seated position in her tub. Her hands moved to her face and over her head to wipe the water away. She let loose a satisfying moan as she felt the knots of her training release from her muscles.

"Yo, Luce," she heard just at the other side of her bathroom door.

She smiled at the thought of him impatiently waiting for her. "What?"

"Got anything to eat?"

Lucy sighed softly, but the smile held. "Help yourself," she called out. She splashed a little, chuckling to herself. Closing her eyes, she replayed their training in her head. A blush ran through her as she remembered his arms around her and how she could feel his heart beating against the palm of her hand as she kept it on his chest. And, heat filled her as she recalled Natsu's weight pressing against her when he laid over her. Her mind replayed the sparring match, and she was sure that both Natsu and Loke were taking turns keeping her body against their own. It was delightful feeling desired. She shuddered, wondering when such bold thoughts entered her mind.

She had woken up with such yearning, and she remembered the need to fight being strong as the day had progressed. She found that the battle had stayed the indescribable need only for so long, but she felt eager again. A coy smile appeared on her lips as she brought to knees to her chest, allowing them to break the surface of the water. Perhaps it would do her some good to poke at them again. She enjoyed the attention, and it seemed to help satiate the desire that bellowed within her. "There was no harm is being a little playful from time to time," she thought to herself.

She moved so that her knees could cover her chest, before uttering softly, "Gate of the lion, I open thee. Leo."

As always, Loke appeared in a soft glow of light. He wore his usual dark suit, and he straightened his tie before taking in his surroundings. Loke turned to see Lucy staring up at him from the bathtub. He hid the surprise in his voice while he held back the desire that had burned deeper into him since the afternoon. Smoothly, he smiled at her. "You called, my dear?" He had heard her voice through the celestial void without the power of his key, and Loke felt himself pulled towards her without any hesitation. He rather enjoyed the freedom.

Lucy pushed back the wet hair behind her ears and did her best to look a little embarrassed, moving her gaze away from Loke's. "I think I overdid it today. My legs won't really move, and my ankle hurts," she lied. "Would you mind helping me up and out?"

He stared down at her, not quite convinced. Loke smoothly removed his jacket, loosened his tie, and began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. "It would be my pleasure, love," he told her.

Lucy grabbed the towel near her tub and placed each end over the edges of the tub. It covered her body without touching the water. She looked up at Loke and smiled as her fingers lightly held the towel in place by her chest. "Ready," she announced.

Loke plunged his arms into the water, moving an arm behind her back and another under her knees. He lifted her out of the water in a smooth motion and clutched her to his chest, the towel hugging her body. Water flowed from her body and splashed against him, moistening his dark slacks and his white button down shirt. Holding her close, he stared down into her eyes. In the heat of the bathroom, they seemed darker than normal.

"Thank you," she mouthed out to him.

"You're welcome," he managed in a hushed tone. He felt her move her legs against his touch, so he lowered the arm that held her knees to allow her to stand and lowered the hand on her back but kept his embrace around her. Loke pulled her closer to him, feeling the bare skin under his fingertips. She buried her head into his chest. His eyes glanced up, and he took note of the mirror, its edges fogged from the steam of her bath. Lucy's back was uncovered by the towel, and she stood exposed to him. He watch as the droplets of water moved from the tips of her wet hair, down her back to trace the curve of her body to her legs. He felt a need swell within his chest, and her movement stopped the thoughts that began to vividly form. Her hands brought the edges around to her back and held them closed together. Loke moved his gaze from the mirror to her eyes.

"I need to get to my closet," she muttered in an almost breathy tone as she looked away quickly, suddenly feeling rather embarrassed and confused that she had called him. Virgo would have been a more appropriate choice had she been telling the truth about her legs. Lucy watched as Loke bent over to sweep her legs over his arms again and felt his arms hold her against his chest.

Loke stared down at his celestial mage, trying to pinpoint what exactly was different. She seemed warmer, but that could have easily been the heat of the water. He carried her out the room, steam releasing into the air as they exited.

"Took you long enough, Lu-," Natsu began as he exited the kitchen to meet her. His eyes widened quickly when he caught the sight of her in his arms.

"Natsu!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing there, Loke-?"

"-What are you doing here?"

They both looked at Lucy. She shrugged and smiled lightly, "Loke was just helping me out of my bath. I think I trained too hard today."

"I could have helped you with that, Luce." Natsu's brow furrowed.

She shook her head. "That would have been entirely in appropriate," she responded, holding a finger out at him and waving it from side to side.

"Why?" Natsu asked in confusion as he continued to stare at Lucy as Loke cradled her in his arms. He felt the annoyance in the pit of his stomach. He stared at Loke, who only returned an indifferent look before a minor smirk appeared on his lips. "I swear I'm going to knock that smile of his off his face," Natsu thought hotly.

"Because I'm a woman and you're a man," she responded simply.

He pointed at Loke, who pulled Lucy closer to his chest as he remained silent, and the motion only annoyed Natsu more. "But he's a man!" he pointed out, throwing his arms at the spirit. Natsu noticed his wet slacks and shirt, realizing that the orange-haired man must have plucked Lucy out of the bath water. Naked. He decided he didn't like that at all.

Lucy looked up at Loke and he met her gaze with a smile. She turned back to Natsu and shrugged, "Loke's different." She held out another finger to stop Natsu from beginning his sentence. "Besides, I didn't want to interrupt your," she paused for the words, "eating." Lucy looked up at Loke. "Would you mind taking me to my closet now? Please?"

Loke smiled down at her before throwing a smiling at the flabbergasted Natsu. "No problem, my," he paused only slightly to emphasize the claim before finishing, "love." He carried Lucy away from Natsu.

She tilted back so she could peek at Natsu over Loke's shoulder. Lucy smiled and loudly said, "Don't worry about cleaning up when you leave. I'll do it later."

"When you leave?" he repeated quietly to himself. What had just happened? Natsu stared at the back of Loke's head as he disappeared around the corner towards the closet. Confused, he meandered to the window and opened the shutters. Before stepping on the sill, he turned back to look at the closed closet doors and heard her giggle. Muttering under his breath, Natsu jumped out into the street, leaving her curtains fanning in the wind.


	6. Chapter 06

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 6:**

Natsu walked silently down the street, his hands resting on the back of his head. He thought of Lucy. He could still smell her on him after he had pushed her into the ground during their afternoon sparring session. Pressure pushed against his chest as he remembered the look in her eyes, the wildness of her hair, and the feel of their bodies pushed together.

He had remained relatively content for all these years with keeping a distance, with hiding his deeper affections behind the guise of teamwork and friendship. He had no desire to ruin their friendship by crossing the line. Yet, today there was a force she had exerted from the very moment he had barged into her apartment. It pulled at him, pounding against his heart and his soul. His desire was ravenous, and it made him restless.

As they sparred, it grew hungrier with each strike and show of strength. He had never thought of her weak. Untrained? Yes. Weak? Never. What she lacked in physical strength and prowess, she made up in her spirit. It was her unwavering positivity that made many people, himself especially, rally to fight. She inspired as naturally as she breathed.

Lucy had made him work hard against her. It took so much will-power to stop himself from using his full strength and power, knowing full well that she wouldn't have lived had he lost sight of himself. Yet, he vividly remembered the thrill of competition seeping through his veins as they fought. He admitted to the fear, however, that he felt once he realized how quickly it could have gotten out of hand, and it was that fear that kept his fire in check.

Natsu released a tiny flash of fire from his thinned lips. "Damn, Loke," he muttered to the air. "If Loke hadn't shown up, I could have-," and Natsu paused. What would he have done? Taken her? He shook his head. "You're such a dunce, Natsu Dragneel." He imagined her under him again, and the flash image of her moving intently under him filled his entire being. He quickened his pace, his body releasing steam as the cold night air touched his skin. His legs started to run, hoping to escape the hunger. But, the desire burned. And, it grew. And, it wanted Lucy.

. . . . .

Loke walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on the drying cloth he carried with him. 'All clean,' he reported to himself. Lucy had kicked him out of the closet, demurely telling him that it wasn't attractive being a pervert. But, Loke had noticed the impish spark in her smile. He found it out of character, but he also didn't complain. Being on the receiving end of her attention was intoxicatingly addictive. When he had left Lucy to change, he looked for Natsu and was pleased to find the window open and the dragon slayer gone. He took the time to clean Lucy's kitchen as she changed.

He looked for her in the living space. He moved to the closet door. "Lucy?" he knocked and waited for an answer. Hearing none, he carefully opened the door and peeked inside. He found her on the floor, leaning against the sitting bench, with her head resting on the cushioned seat. She wore a dark blue button down sleep shirt and her hair covered her face. She stirred a little but remained asleep. He looked down at her, his eyes tracing the lines of her bare legs up to her half-exposed thigh.

He smiled as he threw the drying cloth over his shoulder and picked her up into his arms. Her hair tickled his nose, and Loke smiled as the faint scent of roses and the crisp ocean air filled his lungs. Lucy always smelled like summer to him.

She buried her head into his chest as he walked her to her bed. "Mmm. Loke," her lips released the sound of his name in the faintest whisper of a moan.

The spirit stopped, his heartbeat deafening his ears. He held her close, feeling the warmth of her skin against his arms, and peered down at the sleeping mage. The top two buttons of her sleep shirt had come undone, giving a peek of silhouette of her breasts. Loke closed his eyes, taking in a breath before he willed his legs to move again. Gently, he placed her between the sheets of her bed and pulled himself away from her.

He shut off the lights and looked down at her quizzically as she bathed in the moonlight that shined through her window. Loke scratched his head, releasing a sigh of relief for the distance from her body. He reached out to touch her, feeling the softness of her skin under his fingertips as he traced the gentle slope of her leg. He smiled to himself as he watched the near invisible hair on her skin stand with her goosebumps. He considered leaning over her to nibble on her ear to see her reaction. She had flirted with him in between the sparring sessions with Natsu that day, and he was sure she had purposely called him into the bathroom to, well, he didn't know exactly. But, whatever it was teased him as he found himself yearning for his celestial mage and friend.

Loke found her attractive from the moment he met her, and he fell in love with her and her strength when she saved him. He suppressed the lust for the sake of friendship and professionalism, the flirting meant as a harmless way of sharing his affections before they bubbled over with an embarrassing confession. He had been good at keeping that lust at bay, believing that it was Natsu who would eventually take Lucy's heart and body. But, Natsu never made such a move and Lucy never seemed angry or disappointed about it. "Maybe," Loke hoped.

He threw the drying cloth on his shoulder onto a chair and decided it was best to leave before the lust took over his senses. He shook his head before gathering the suit jacket he had taken off earlier that evening. His skin tingled at the thought of her lips and the smell of summer that surrounded her. Before shimmering away, Loke decided to make a statement to the pink haired slayer who would undoubtedly barge into Lucy's apartment in the morning, and he hung his suit jacket on the post of her bed. A dark puckish smile appeared on his lips, and he let the voracious lust fill him as he returned to his world.


	7. Chapter 07

**[Author's Note: This chapter is rated M(A) for explicit adult descriptions/themes. 18+.]**

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 7:**

_His body pinned her into the dark ground under their bodies, and she felt the chill against her back. The weight of him warmed her body. She arched her back as his hands roamed over the gentle slopes of her curves. The combined gentleness and roughness of his touch tickled her skin, and tiny goosebumps appeared in the wake of his stroke. Her hands moved over the sculpted arms on either side of her, and they tensed with the strength she found exhilarating. She moved her arms under his, wrapping them around his sides so that her hands could grip into the bare skin of his back. She lifted her head, placing her half-opened lips on his shoulder and allowed her tongue to taste the sweat off his skin as she kissed near his neck. He bent his head into her neck, licking and biting as the mood suited him, and she took in the scent of him as she found her nose buried in the thick strands of pink. The warmth of his skin flared in the fiery glow of his power, and his flames wrapped around them._

_She felt his calloused hands move over the bent leg that kept to his hip, and the sensation of his nails digging into the cheeks of her bottom sent a surge of pleasure up her spine. His hands moved through the wild strands of her hair, gripped tightly, and pulled along the ground to pull her head back as he pushed himself deep into the warmth of her. She gasped at the roughness of it and felt another spark of exhilaration fill her as his lips and tongue moved over her exposed neck and the fullness of him filled her._

_Her hips moved against his, pushing up as he pushed down. She turned her head to the side, allowing his hungry kisses to move from her neck to her ear. He nibbled through ragged breaths, and the sounds of his pleasure increased with her own. She took all of him, the scent of their bodies filling her senses. He moved slowly, savouring the feel of her around him as he pushed her deeper into the dark. His hands released the strands of her hair, one resting on the top of her head while the other gripped at her neck. His fingers wrapped around her neck gently as he pushed deeper into her._

_Opening her eyes, she caught the sight of herself in the mirror, a wild and ravaged look in her eyes. She watched the reflection of the orange-haired man gently caressing her while she remained pinned under his weight. She felt the thrill of him as their reflected hips moved together as he buried his face into her neck. And through her reflection, she felt the kisses and the sweet cooling breath from his lips. The reflection showed the gentleness she had always known of her fair orange-haired spirit, and yet her body rocked with the roughness of the passion of fire that surrounded her body. The steady crash of primal pleasure filled her, deeper and deeper into her core. She closed her eyes, no longer seeing the reflection and instead moved with the crashing waves of intensity that pulsed through her._

_He settled slowly, his quickened breaths slowing with her heart. He collapsed into her, his weight pushing her even deeper into the darkness that pressed against her back. She moved her hands into his hair, playing with the strands as she held his head to her chest. She took in the earthly scent of his pink hair as her reflection buried her head into the forest of orange that collapsed on her chest. She heard their tired yet gritty voices through the dark that began to wrap around them, "I am yours to command."_

_. . . . ._

Lucy woke with a start, her breath heavy and short. She gasped, gripping at the pounding her heart gave against her chest. Her fingers gripped at the thin fabric of the blanket that covered her as her eyes darted around her dark apartment. The soft glow of the moon entered her apartment through the window by her bed, and she rolled over to stare out into the quiet streets of Magnolia. An uneasiness filled her. She shifted anxiously, suddenly feeling her back completely exposed to the darkness of her apartment. Quickly, she rolled over to face the shadow that hid the warmth of her apartment and to have her back lit by the moonlight.

Fear filled her breathing and moved through her. Her skin shivered as the sensation of slithering cold hovered over her skin. She squinted into the darkness, feeling as if someone was staring at her. Her ears could only pick up on the silence, hearing nothing save for the muted sound of the insects calling out in the night outside of her window. She pulled the blanket up to cover her mouth and nose, but she kept her eyes keenly focused into the dark.

She closed her eyes, mentally willing her body to ease into comfort. The image of him, of both men, on her came back in vivid clarity, and it burned her face in the deepest of red as her eyes opened to stop the recollection. The desire burned deep into her chest, and she wondered if there really was any harm in playing a bit. She shook her head a little, trying to shake the thought from her head. It wasn't like her at all to play such games. No. It wasn't a game, and she had no idea why the idea of toying with such deep rooted emotions would ever be considered a game, let alone by her. Lucy felt different, and the confusion only added to her ever growing uneasiness in the darkness of the early morning.

She shook her head, deciding she was just panicking from startling herself out of her slumber. She closed her eyes once more with a pained wish that sleep would take her quickly. She was keenly aware of her beating heart, and the vivid recollection of her dream replayed itself before her. Lucy felt the insatiable desire moving through her again, and it filled her with a shadowy strength she couldn't quite understand. Opening her eyes, she moved along the mattress. She pushed her back against the wall of her window so that she could keep the wide gap from the black shadow, the moonlight filling the void on her mattress. The darkness of the apartment seemed to be encroaching into the light, but she was certain that was just her imagination.

. . . . .

He peered into the empty guildhall, sliding swiftly towards the request board. Quietly, he pinned a single sheet of paper under several other postings. As he finished, he heard the groggy and heavy footsteps on the floor above him. He slinked back into a corner, blending into the shadow before disappearing.

The short silhouette looked over the railing of the second floor to the first floor. He lifted the lantern higher, lighting his elderly face and messy white hair. He examined the empty room with piercing eyes but saw no one as his hard stare moved to the request board. He watched as a few sheets of paper settled down, having been lifted by the wind without a source. Quietly the old wizard shuffled back to his room, his mind deeply troubled by a nagging sensation of the darkness that had filled his empty space between the guild walls.


	8. Chapter 08

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 8:**

Natsu stood in front of Lucy's apartment, staring up at the window he would normally jump through almost every morning. Natsu all but sprinted all the way to Lucy's after he woke up that morning. Feeling energized, he was pleased when he felt the consuming hunger that plagued him the day before had vanished when he awoke. He was still perturbed at the lion spirit, though he wasn't too keen on admitting to himself as to why. He quickly justified the weirdness of the previous evening to a celestial mage and celestial spirit thing. There was no way Lucy and Loke were lovers, and Natsu reminded himself that it shouldn't matter to him if they were because he had no right to any opinion on the matter.

He considered briefly if perhaps it would be better to use the door, but he shook the thought off as an absurdity. He was pretty sure that Lucy enjoyed the non-surprise surprise visits, even if she was quick to chide him for doing it. He grinned as he crouched low before jumping high into the air, letting momentum carry him onto the ledge of her window with ease. He opened the window with some gusto and was about to wake his slumbering partner in the usual manner when his eyes fell to the sleeping mage, whose back was firmly pressed against the wall under the window. She had covered most of her head with her blanket, and the form under the sheets clearly showed her curled in a protective fetal position.

He tilted his head slightly, finding her sleeping position curious and worrisome. Slowly, he reached out to gently wake her, feeling that the usual fun and cheerfulness he brought to her nearly every morning would be inappropriate. As his hand neared, she radiated a heat that instantly awakened the hunger the night before. He snapped his hand back quickly, staring down at the golden strands of hair that messily covered her face. He tried to bury the primal fire that sparked into existence. A voice in his head told him that pinning her under him would probably incite a fun reaction from her and quell his body's need to be near hers. His body moved to fall onto her when his eyes caught sight of the dark suit jacket hanging from the post of her bed. He stopped, remaining on the ledge of her window as his eyes narrowed at the sight of it.

"That sissy ass excuse of a cat," he uttered under his breath, his blood boiling hot for reasons he didn't quite want to admit. He reached out to the bed post, careful to balance on the ledge, and grabbed the jacket roughly into his hands. It flew over the bed in a swift motion, and Natsu hurried as the displacement of air moved the hair on the celestial mage's hair. With a quick movement, he threw the jacket over his back and let it fly onto the street. His peripheral vision caught sight of the jacket falling onto a puddle before it was squashed under the wheel of a passing wagon.

"Natsu?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes before extending her arms over her head to stretch.

He smiled at Lucy, quick to hide the smirk that had lingered on his lips after tossing the jacket out her window. His eyes lingered over her bare shoulder as her sleeping shirt slipped to the side after her stretch. "Yo, sleepy head. Time to get up and moving," he told her smoothly. He noted the dark lines under her eyes before jumping onto her mattress. He watched as her eyes, darker than he remembered them, focused on him. He faltered at the feeling of unknown heat radiating from her, and he coughed to stop the growl that lingered at the back of his throat.

She regarded him for a while, neither of them saying a word. "I'll go get ready," she said to break the strange silence. She forced a smile to curl at the edges of her lips as she slipped out of bed. She sauntered to her closet and disappeared behind the doors, leaving a silent Natsu on her bed.

. . . . .

They walked in silence, an unusual distance between them. Natsu's lips formed a thin line. Being near her sent his senses on fire, and he was keenly aware how quickly he could teeter out of control if he wasn't vigilant. Being enough to touch her made the fire within him swell, and so he kept her beyond arm's length. From the corner of his eye, he looked at her in hopes of understanding the sudden need of her. She smiled, laughed, and teased just like Lucy. But, there was an intensity around her that pulled and tugged at him. When the faint sound of her wistful sigh reached him, Natsu turned to look at her and followed her gaze.

They had walked all the way to the guild, and he had been so engrossed with his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed. He lowered his gaze to find her smiling brightly at him. The smile he had seen so many times met him with an eager shine, yet he could swear he saw the faintest sinister hint that lingered at the corner of her lips. Quickly, she closed the distance between them and hooked her arm around his before he could object. Something greedy and needing flared to life with a surge, and all he could focus on was her.

Her eyes moved along the guild's exterior walls, her eyes settling on the guild master, who was standing on the roof. She considered the tiny figure thoughtfully before pulling Natsu towards the large doors. "Let's go!" she all about shouted as she pulled him into the building.

Far above, the short silhouette on the roof looked down at the minute figures before they disappeared into the confines of the guild. He kept his arms folded over his chest, his elderly face wrinkled. The old wizard looked over the horizon, troubled by the nagging sensation of a storm quickly approaching.


	9. Chapter 09

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 9:**

"Ho! What is this?!"

Natsu looked around as guild members looked up from their revelry, silence filling the vast room. "Wh-," he managed before the silence roared with cheers of an unimaginable volume. He looked down and realized what the others must have assumed upon seeing her holding his arm.

"They finally did it!"

"It's 'bout time! What took so long?!"

"Pay up, you bastards! I told you they'd get together!"

"Finally getting the girl?! Now, that's manly!"

"He finally made a move!"

"Dammit! My jewels!"

The baleful curl at the corner of her lips was easy to mask with a light chuckle. She let go of Natsu's arm and held up her hands, quickly silencing the guild. "Shut it, you idiots! Natsu and I are not a thing," she told them. She laughed as she heard the mixture of groans and cheers. "Cana, you'll want to return those jewels. I wouldn't let your imaginations get the best of you." Shaking her head, Lucy walked towards the request board. Her gait was slow and meticulous as her hips swayed with each step. Gone was the usual skip in her step.

Natsu stood dumbfounded as she walked away from him. He turned his attention to the guild. It seemed like over half of the guild members were grumbling and had started drowning their disappointments with alcohol. The rest were cheering and had started celebrating their happiness with alcohol. His turned his attention back to her, his eyes following her body as she sauntered away. He scratched the back of his head in an effort to scratch away the feeling that lingered under his skin. He moved deeper into the guild hall and slumped down quietly by Gray.

"You cost me 10,000 jewels, ash breath," his voice dripping in fake annoyance as he waved his half-full cup of alcohol near Natsu. "Just be a man and ask her out already."

Natsu grumbled, "Shut it." He kept his eyes on Lucy as she carefully perused the request board. He felt the rumble of hunger growing, and it irritated him.

Gray followed Natsu's gaze. " Oh geez," he prodded, "you're as bad as a love sick teenager. I didn't think you could be even more pathetic."

Natsu turned his head to glare at the ice mage. "I said," he repeated in a dangerously low tone, "shut it." He stood up, forcefully pushing the chair back with his knees. It toppled back with a crash, and Natsu walked away hotly towards Lucy.

"Uh. What the hell just happened?" Gray muttered under his breath, his eyes studying his fiery friend.

Lucy looked bored as she fingered through the sheets of paper that hung on the request board. "Too boring," she muttered to herself. "Too long. Too typical. Been there. Done that." She sighed softly to herself. "None of these look right."

Natsu appeared by her side, standing close so that his arm could brush against hers. "So what are we doing?" he asked gruffly.

"We?" she questioned, brow raised and a teasing twinkle in her eye.

"You seriously don't think I'd let you go out there by yourself, do you?"

She smirked lightly before turning her head and shrugging with newfound apathy. "Join me. Don't join me," she replied simply. "It's no concern of mine."

Natsu stared at her before turning his head away and resting his hands on the back of his head. "Pick a job, and let's go." His voice was low and filled with irritation, his earlier happy disposition gone.

"Say please." She sneered at his command. Lucy waited, watching as Natsu turned his head to look blankly at the request wall. Her ears picked up the faint "please" that he whispered through thin lips and chuckled gleefully. She randomly plucked a sheet of paper before walking to the bar to Mira.

Mira had been quietly observing the mage and her dragon slayer when Lucy approached with the job request in her hand.

"We'll take this one, Mira," Lucy said with cheerfulness in her voice.

Mira looked at Lucy for a minute. She reached out to Lucy's magical aura only to feel it vibrate painfully against hers. With a forced smile on her lips, Mira looked down at the request, making note that she didn't recognize it as one she had placed on the board. Hesitantly, she placed her signature on the sheet before giving it back to the celestial mage, and as their fingers brushed by accident, Mira felt the surge of darkness fill her body. She pushed a smile into her eyes. "You two should consider delay leaving for one night or two," she told them. "We've got a party planned for tonight, and it looks like you'll have plenty of time to get to the client even even if you leave in a day or two."

Lucy looked down at the sheet of paper in her hands. "That actually sounds like a great idea." She smiled at the silver haired bartender. "Thanks, Mira!"

For an instance, Mira could see a spark of Lucy and felt her concerns disappear. But, the worry quickly surged back.

"I'll see you tonight." Lucy turned to leave.

Mira watched as Natsu folded his arms over his chest as Lucy left, his body radiating a heat that hit the bartender with full force. He made his way back to the tables, taking a seat far from other guild members as he sat in solitude to think. She watched as several guild members followed Natsu with their eyes, their skins prickling with the heat that surrounded him. Her lips formed a thin line as she hurriedly made her way to the master's office.


	10. Chapter 10

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 10:**

He scanned the crowd that had filled the guild, the soft rumble of indistinguishable chatter only muted by the cacophony of the band on stage. The percussion echoed against the stone walls, and it vibrated through him as he thought about his partner. He wondered what she would be wearing that night, knowing that whatever she picked would probably set his soul on fire yet again. As his eyes moved over the crowd, he spotted the tattoos of several other guilds mixed in with the swarm of Fairy Tail.

The lights were dimmed, with only a few softly lit lacrimas floating above the crowd to provide a soft glow of light over areas of the crowd. It was an intimate setting, despite the large crowd, with corners hidden in the shadows that provided some couples the veil illusion of privacy. The men and women had chosen to dress up a little for the gathering, most in comfortable nice party clothing. Natsu frowned at himself, realizing that he stood out in the crowd as scruffy and unkempt when compared to the other men.

His senses picked up her scent. His eyes lifted to the imposing double doors that were kept open for the gathering, and there she stood at the entrance of the guild as she looked over the crowd and took in the atmosphere. His eyes traveled over her body, his heart skipping at the sight of her. She had chosen a blood red lacy dress. Its bodice embraced and hugged her chest and flared out at the waist to an extremely short skirt that swayed with the wind. From her chest to the hemline, the lining shimmered through the lace. He caught the sparkle of her skin through the lace over her arms and collarbone. Her legs seemed longer with the tall stilettos she chose to wear. She opted to keep her hair down that night, and it was curled in soft waves to give it some grace and movement. He bit the inside of his lower lip when the wind brushed into her, throwing her hair into her face and forcing the skirt to lift every so slightly before wrapping around her thighs. As she brushed the loose flying strands behind her ear, she became lust personified. Natsu turned back to the bar to collect his breath and his senses. He waited impatiently, his fingers tapping the bar.

She took a steady step into the hall and made her way towards a table near the dance floor. "Hey guys," she greeted with a smile as she appeared out from the crowd. "Erza! Levy! You two look stunning!" Lucy shouted to be heard over the deafening sounds of percussions, singing, and crowd chatter that bounced against the guild's stone walls.

Erza blushed at her compliment as she looked down at the simple short black dress that hugged her own body. "I thought a classic look would do well for tonight," she replied.

"You look amazing, Lucy!" exclaimed Levy with a smile. She wore a one-shoulder pale orange dress that remained tight around her chest and flowed out into a modest skirt, and she glowed with the beauty of happiness.

Lucy glanced around and raised her voice in order to be heard over the music. "Where are the guys?"

Erza motioned to the dancing crowd. "Juvia and Gray are out there dancing." She pointed the pair out. Near the heart of the dancing crowd, the raven haired ice mage and his blue haired partner moved with the music. Juvia moved like water as she hugged Gray's arm as Gray made all efforts to appear aloof and uninterested. "Well, Juvia's dancing. Gray is trying really hard to appear as if he doesn't want to dance, but I think I can see him swaying with the music."

Chuckling, Levy spoke up, "And Gajeel is with Natsu and Happy getting us drinks." She scooted over, allowing Lucy to take a seat next to her on the bench. Levy took a moment to stare at her friend, feeling a strange aura radiating from her best friend. She leaned over and whispered into her ear, "You okay, Lucy?"

The celestial mage smiled, "Of course." She turned her head, staring out into the crowd again. "This is huge! I didn't realize Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus would be here!" Lucy exclaimed as she ignored the perplexed look on Levy's face.

"Yeah!" Erza responded as she swayed to the music. "It's good to build good relationships with other guilds. Mira has been planning this for a while."

A golden light appeared next to Lucy. She turned to see Loke standing close to her. He smiled down at her as he slipped a hand into the pocket of his dark grey slacks. He had abandoned his usual suit jacket and tie, opting instead to wear a simple black button down shirt with the top button undone. He ran his free hand through his orange mane before adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Hello, love," he greeted Lucy smoothly before turning his gaze to Erza and Levy. "As always, you look lovely Levy and Erza." He smiled as they returned the greeting. He leaned down towards Lucy and kept his lips to her ear so no one else could hear him speak. "Let's have a little fun, shall we?"

Erza and Levy watched as Lucy chuckled. "I'll be back ladies. I'm going to go dance," she told them as she placed her hand into Loke's offered hand and disappeared into the crowd with him.

Levy frowned as her eyes followed her best friend. "Lucy's different," she said to Erza.

"What do you mean?"

"She's just," Levy paused in hopes of finding the right words, "different." She shook her head. "It's probably nothing and just the setting."

Erza was about to respond when Gajeel and Natsu appeared from the crowd and placed several cold glasses filled with alcohol on the table. Happy soon followed, landing carefully as he set more cold beverages before the small group of friends.

Natsu looked around. "Where's Lucy?" he asked as indifferently as possible. "I thought I just saw her over here."

"She's dancing," Erza responded as she turned her attention to the drink she picked randomly from the numerous glasses on the table. When Gray exited the dance floor, with his hand firmly gripping Juvia's as he helped her maneuver through the crowd, Erza waved them over and motioned to the drinks, and soon the small group started chatting and laughing together.

Natsu looked out into the crowd, his eyes searching for her as the tempo of the music changed. As the crowd thinned with people in search of refreshment, he spotted her dancing in the middle of the crowd that remained. He quickly picked up her scent, and the fragrance of her quickly awakened his senses. He watched as she swayed to the music, letting her hands move over her body and through her hair. With her eyes closed, she seemed to let the music take over her. Natsu made a move to join her when he caught sight of the orange-haired spirit. His lips formed a thin line as he watched Loke pull Lucy closer to his body as they danced together. It all seemed a little too close to Natsu's liking, and he didn't quite enjoy the look Loke gave Lucy shared whenever their eyes connected. He grumbled softly as he watched Lucy throw her head back in laughter after Loke leaned even closer to whisper something in her ear. Natsu stopped himself from running into the crowd, deciding it was probably a bad idea to start a fight over something as simple as dancing. Yet, the closeness of the celestial mage and her celestial spirit had stirred a storm within him and he was finding it hard to fight against the anger that flared up instantly.

"Natsu!"

Hearing his name, he snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the group of friends who were trying desperately to capture his attention. "What do you want?!" he snapped at the group. The laughter stopped and the group stared at him in confusion and with worry. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair and grumbled a pathetic apology. He stared down at his mug. Determined, he took the cold glass to his lips and downed the contents within a few minutes. "I'll be back," he muttered as he disappeared into the crowd.

His friends watched as Natsu disappeared into the crowd, collectively silent at his sudden outburst. "What the hell crawled up his ass and died?" Gray asked, breaking the silence. He took a sip of his drink, enjoying the cold that moved through his mouth and down his throat.

Happy shook his head, a worried look on his brow. "He's been that way since yesterday."

"Maybe it has something to do with Lucy?" offered Levy. "She seems different tonight."

"Maybe flame brain did something to piss her off," Gray responded before adding the pointed word that he knew everyone was thinking, "again."

Erza shook her head in disappointment. "Natsu should really learn to approach her better if he wishes to woo her."

Gajeel took a careful swig of his drink as he half-listened to the team discuss the many ways Natsu could talk to Lucy. He scanned the dance floor, catching sight of Lucy as she danced with Loke. He took note of the subtle differences in her movement and how she purposely would toy at hair on the nape of Loke's neck. Her movements were saturated with energy unlike the one Gajeel's grown to know of her, and it affected the group of people that danced near her, making them appear filled with untamed fervor. His eyes looked over the crowd and caught the pink haired dragon slayer who was just standing in the middle of the crowd, unmoving and glaring at the orange haired spirit. He determined that the situation between Lucy and Natsu was pathetic and one that the young dragon slayer could have easily avoided had he been strong enough. Most importantly, Gajeel determined he wasn't going to end up making a similar mistake. He took another swig of his drink before taking Levy's hand as he stood, "Hey shrimp. Let's dance."


	11. Chapter 11

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 11:**

Hidden in the crowd, Natsu watched them. He watched as Loke moved his body with hers and as she draped her arms over Loke's shoulders. He watched how he had slipped a hand to the small of Lucy's back to keep her pressed against him and how Lucy would throw her hands over her head and let them trace the sides of her body. He watched all of it, from the close misses of their lips to the soft whispers he would place into her ear that would make her laugh. His eyes wouldn't leave the movement of her body, spellbound by the fluidity of her limbs and the pull it had on his senses. The hunger raged through him as he caught the scent of her pleasure, and he felt his fingertips tingle with the heat of fire that wanted to escape into the air. He balled his hands into tight fists and let the pain of his fingernails digging into the palms of his hands calm him. Just as he was able to will his legs to move, he watched as Lucy grabbed Loke's hand and pulled him away from the dance floor. Natsu followed, his eyes locked on the soft blush that warmed her skin and the twinkle in her eyes.

Lucy fell out from the crowd that surrounded the group's table, her hand still firmly holding Loke's hand as she pulled him from the crowd and led him to the table. Natsu stepped out from the crowd soon after, and he was happy when she released Loke's hand. The feeling soon disappeared once Loke closed the gap between them and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"This band is amazing!" Lucy exclaimed with glee. She reached over the table and took one of the many cold alcoholic beverages on the table and took a number of small gulps. She sat at the table and scooted over to allow Loke room on the bench. "Mira really outdid herself this time!" The group agreed with her, smiling and chattering happily.

Loke draped his arm over Lucy's shoulder and pulled her closer to him, a move not gone unnoticed by their friends. Erza shot Lucy a questioning glance, which she either missed or ignored. When Loke grabbed Lucy's mug from her hands and took a sip, the group of friends flashed a curious look at Natsu to watch his reaction. They caught the heated stare down between Natsu and Loke – rather Natsu's heated look and Loke's signature smirk.

Juvia leaned over to Gray and whispered very softly, "Juvia is confused by love rival's behavior. Is she now in love with lion man? I was sure love rival was in love with the pink haired one." Gray only shrugged, keeping silent as he observed the trio over the rim of his mug as he drank.

When Loke leaned over to Lucy and whispered softly so that those around the table couldn't hear. "You know, we could always leave and have a little fun on our own, love. The kind of dancing that I want do wouldn't be appropriate in public," he flirted with her. He held back the grin when he saw Natsu's annoyed expression, knowing that the dragon slayer's ears could easily pick up his words.

Lucy chuckled lightly as she hid her blush behind the mug that she took back from Loke. She punched Loke in the arm, which caused him to drop the arm around her shoulder. "Behave," she mouthed out to him. Lucy turned to Natsu, who took the empty seat on the other side of her, and she slid a full mug of alcohol to the dragon slayer. "Hey! I haven't seen you all night. Are you having fun?"

He shrugged. "It's okay, I guess," he responded. "This isn't really my sort of thing. I could go for one of Cana's drinking competitions, I think. You know, something more lively."

"Hell yeah! Bring it!" exclaimed Gray as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it into the crowd behind him.

"And, the perverted stripper is game!"

"I think that would be a splendid way to enjoy some much needed carousing," agreed Erza.

Lucy waved a pointed finger at Natsu, but she kept a smile on her lips. "Oy," she teasingly reprimanded him. "We leave for our job tomorrow, and I don't want to deal with a hungover motion sick Natsu."

Natsu made a show of pouting. "Oh, ye of such little faith," he smiled at her. He knew he had won when she just shook her head with a laugh.

Loke smiled as he looked down at Lucy. "I'll get the first round," he offered as he stood. "Would you like anything, love?" When Lucy shook her head, he started towards the bar.

"I'm going to go help the pathetic playboy with our drinks," Natsu offered as he quickly jumped up from his seat and dashed towards Loke.

"Love rival must please explain the situation between herself and her spirit," offered Juvia as soon as Natsu and Loke were both out of earshot.

"Huh?" Lucy blinked as she stared around the table, quickly realizing that all eyes were on her.

"What's going on with you and Loke?!" translated Gray.

"Um. Nothing?"

Erza played with her empty mug. "It doesn't appear to be nothing. You and Loke seem very close tonight."

Happy nodded in agreement. "It's weird, Lucy."

Lucy shook her head at the group. "Everything's the same as always. All of you are imagining things. Stop it before you cause trouble." She turned her attention towards the bar, her eyes following the orange-haired spirit and the pink-haired dragon slayer as they waited by the bar. She remembered her dream, and her energy swirled around her in response to the thoughts that readily appeared. Lost in her thoughts, she ignored the glances her friends shared as they felt her magical energy. As she heard the silence shift to a safe conversation about missions and guilds, Lucy drummed her fingers to the beat of the music as she watched her two closest comrades from afar.

Loke drummed his fingers on the bar as he listened to the music. He stood in silence as Natsu stood beside him. The two hadn't exchanged any words, only a few tense sideway glances as they waited for their table's large order of drinks. When the two large trays – covered with multiple glasses filled to the brim with alcohol – appeared, Loke smirked as Natsu quickly gathered the two trays into his hands and moved towards their table. He had left Loke with nothing to carry, and Loke was certain it was a poor attempt at showing off his strength. Shaking his head, he turned back to the bartender with a new order and soon headed back to the table with his hands full.

When he appeared from the crowd, Natsu was beaming with delight at the drinks safely delivered without a drop spilt. As Natsu passed out drinks, Loke slipped next to Lucy again. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but I thought you'd like something anyways," he offered, gently sliding a tall fruity sparkling drink and a small basket of fries her way. "No worries. It's not alcoholic."

Lucy smiled brightly. "Thanks, Loke!"

Natsu frowned, mentally kicking himself for not having had the forethought. He caught the smug look Loke flashed his way, and the desire to punch him in the face only grew in intensity. He took his seat next to Lucy as he held up one shot glass to her. "Just one drink, Luce," he offered with a smile.

Lucy tilted her head at him and laughed as she lightly shook her head at his charms. "Okay, okay," she agreed with a laugh. She joined the group as they held up the shot glasses, shouted in celebration to the opening of their game, and took the liquid quickly. It burned as it moved over her tongue and she was certain it had stained her cheeks with pink almost immediately. She laughed at herself as she folded her hands together on her lap. "I'm such a lightweight," she informed them, and she laughed as they all agreed with her.

Drink after drink, the group continued their drinking competition until they started to succumb to the haze of their consumption as the hours ticked away. Erza had quickly placed her head down in submission and had fallen asleep after two drinks. After having returned to the table after the first round of drinks, Levy was leaning sleepily against a slumbering Gajeel's shoulder, and he had wrapped an arm over her shoulder to support her against his body. Happy was joyfully passed out on the table, a small bubble in his nose inflating and deflating as he breathed. Gray had passed out on the bench with his lap on a brightly red faced Juvia, who was swaying in an intoxicated haze.

Natsu glared at Loke as they each took another shot. Loke kept an arm around Lucy's shoulder as she slept against him, her head on his shoulder. He wasn't quite sure if Natsu was glaring at him for the competition or for the fact that he was holding Lucy. Either way, he was too tired and too worn to care. Loke shifted, allowed the arm on her shoulder to move down her back, and gently leaned Lucy into his arm as he stood and allowed his free hand to move under Lucy's knees before pulling her into his chest. "You win," he relented as he stared down at the dragon slayer. "I'm going to take Lucy home. I think this party is done."

Natsu looked around. Save for a few people who were passed out on the floor and the few that seemed to be dancing in their sleep, the guild hall was near empty. He looked back up to see Loke had already made his way towards the doors, stepping over the passed out revelers that littered the stone floors. He took the last filled shotglass and tossed its contents into his mouth, allowing the alcohol to burn down his throat as he leaped to his feet and chased after Loke. When he reached the lion spirit, they were outside and the cool air alleviated the heat of alcohol that moved through his body. "I can take her home," he told Loke as he reached out to take Lucy from his arms.

Loke pulled Lucy in tighter and turned his body away from Natsu. "There is no way I'm going to entrust her to you when you can barely stand straight," he said, watching as his counterpart swayed unsteadily. "Go home, Natsu." He soon felt a hand strongly grip his arm and stopped him from moving. Turning, Loke lifted a brow at Natsu.

"I said," Natsu repeated as heat rose from his body, "I can take her home." His eyes flared against the lion spirit. "You're not even really here unless you're called upon like a glorified butler. I'm going to take her home. Let me have her," he hissed in a low tone, careful not to raise his voice in fear of waking the celestial mage. "You've been all over Lucy, and I won't allow it anymore!"

"You won't allow it?" he repeated with an incredulous sneer. Loke too kept his voice low, a dangerous tone slithering into the words he chose carefully. "Listen to me, you two bit bottom rubbing lizard," he paused as he stood taller and pulled Lucy protectively to his chest. Her contented sigh fueled the energy that moved through him. "Lucy belongs to me and the celestial world. You are nothing, and you best remember your place."

"My place?!" Natsu all about screamed as he tried to keep his voice low.

"I tolerate your presence because she wishes it," Loke responded, his tone dripping with condescension unknown to him, "but do not think that it means you have any right to her." He barked through clenched teeth as he struggled to keep a hushed volume, "Back off. Now!" He straightened to tower over Natsu, a thin light that radiated with the authority of the heavens glowing around him. His eyes hardened behind his glasses as the ground trembled under the weight of his energy. Loke let the sensation linger around him, feeling the pink haired man's growing magic crash against his own.

The flames burst on their own, engulfing Natsu as he pulled his arm back as he readied himself to throw the heated punch into Loke's face. The instance was quick, but the flames disappeared as quickly as they appeared when Natsu heard Lucy stir. He looked down at the sleeping woman's face, her eyes fluttering slightly with the threat of opening. His eyes twitched before they narrowed at Loke. "You and I aren't done here," he hissed through incensed teeth. The anger in his belly consumed him as Loke smirked before turning his back to the dragon slayer and walking away. Natsu tightened the fists by his side and the flames overwhelmed him, surrounding his body in a blinding rage he didn't bother to contain. The intensity of his rage grew with his lust, and he let it consume him with thoughts of removing the lion spirit from her side.


	12. Chapter 12

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 12:**

He had watched as the celestial mage's lion spirit placed her on the bed and lingered by her side. The spirit hadn't bothered to remove her clothing and prepare her for bed, instead opting to leave his celestial mage in her party dress. Carefully, the orange haired man covered her with a blanket and let his fingertips brush the hair from her face. A shadow eclipsed over the spirit's eyes as he stared down at the sleeping woman's form before disappearing in a dimmed golden flash. Once the room was empty save for the sleeping mage, he sinisterly slipped from the shadows and moved onto her bed.

He moved adeptly and with smooth motions as he pinned her waist between his legs and leaned over to breathe in the fragrance of her. She still smelt of happiness and summer, but he picked up on a the growing of anemone and coriander. He whispered as he watched over her. "You will plant the doubt that will hasten the darkening of his heart." He traced a thin finger along her cheek and chuckled wickedly as she writhed uncomfortably as she slept under him. "Your spirits will darken as you darken, and I will gain the power befitting my status."

Sitting up, he moved a hand over her heart and another over her forehead, letting them hover only a few centimeters above her. "Let not light see my black and deep desires," (1) he muttered under his breath, chanting the words into the nothingness. Black smoke again slithered from his palms, slithering towards her chest and her head. The tip began to form, splitting open as the mouths of snakes with fangs poised at the ready before diving through her skin. "Let darkness grow to cast out the light," he finished as the two snake heads began to tug and pull within her. They dug deep into her heart and head, pulling out a thick glowing golden string of energy. Their fangs bit deep into her life energy, pumping their venom into her. Slowly, the golden glow began to fade as blackness replaced it. Letting loose, the dark energy disappeared back into her body and the snake heads dissipated, the marks over her heart and head disappearing from her skin.

He lingered over her as he contemplated taking her there, watching her squirm under the waning moon. He leaned over her, taking his tongue and licking the side of her neck. She shuddered under him and released a combined breath of wanting and unadulterated fear. The scent of anemone and coriander grew stronger. The corners of his mouth turned up into a dark grin. He moved his body off her and cackling quietly, he slid back into the darkness.

. . . . .

_She stood on the cliff, her dark brown eyes cold and fixed as the fire raged through the city before her. It flared into the sky, colouring the clouds with the eerie shade of orange and red. The stench of death – of charred flesh and of blood – filled her nostrils and stained her lungs. The smoke was heavy as it crept through the buildings, billowing as if thick arms reaching to the heavens to block the glow of the evening sky. Her skin prickled as the wind, thick with the sound of anguish, carried the heat around her body. It lifted the flowing black dress that easily wrapped around her form. The cries of lost souls added to the pleasure that flowed through her veins as the wind cooled and heated her to the core. _

_Close behind her, they stood watch over the turmoil and of her. The tall orange haired spirit kept his arms folded over his chest. The chaos reflected in the mirror of his glasses, and the curl of his lips showed approval of the flames. The wind whipped through his orange mane. He looked at the back of her head, watching as her golden hair danced on the storming wind. Unable to contain the pleasure that consumed him, he let loose the sound of his sinful roar and felt it lift into the air as he trumpeted her reign._

_Next to the spirit, the pink haired man stood tall as his flames tore through the stone walls of the town that once stood tall and proud. It all crumbled under the weight of his rage, and the knowledge sent a chill of power through his spine. His eyes flickered to her, watching as the hue of his inferno coloured her pale skin. As his passion swelled within him, the flames increased in power and the town crumbled under the weight of his appetite._

_Eyes cold and empty, the trio watched as the earth turned dark and burnt, life freely dissipating under their feet. They felt the energy lifting into the sky only to be trapped by the solid mass of smoke that had hovered over the destruction. It swirled on the wind, dancing delicately towards them. Their fingers tingled with the sensation of energy filling their bodies as the heat carried sacrificed souls, dirty with blood and death, into their hearts. It filled them, quelling the hunger that tried to claw its way from the depths of their being._

_She smirked, her eyes twinkling with a desire unknown. She turned to face the two, the scene behind her burst into an explosion to mark her coronation. With a careful step, she moved between and past them. She moved into the shadows of the forest and willingly moved into the darkness that couldn't be reached by the light of fire. The scent of her temporarily masked the aroma of death as the two men turned their backs to the devastation. Their shadows reached towards her as they stayed close to her side. They followed in silence, their eyes hidden under the darkness that consumed them._

. . . . .

She awoke, drenched in a sweat. She grasped at the pleasure, hoping to grab hold of the dreamt heat that wrapped around her. The hunger flowed freely through her veins, pumping through her heart in a surge. The need made her fingers tingle with anticipation, the lack of power irritating the pale and delicate skin. She gripped the soft fabric under her body, and she found the gentleness of it all infuriating. Her apartment seemed filled with a lightness that grated at her skin and made her itch with annoyance. She closed her eyes once more, willing herself to sleep in hope that she could find solace in the darkness.

Notes:

(1) Source: William Shakespeare, Macbeth Act 1, IV, 51.


	13. Chapter 13

**[Author's Note: This chapter is rated M(A) for explicit adult descriptions/themes. 18+.]**

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 13:**

_Her form was silhouetted against the rampage of flames that tore through the town. Life energy danced around her, carried by the heat and the wind. Slowly, he approached as he removed a hand from the pocket of his black slacks and ran it through his thick orange mane. The flames reflected in his glasses and added a twinkle of delight to the one he normally carried in his eyes. He slipped an arm around her waist when he reached her, pulling her close to his body as he made her turn to face him. His heart wavered as her gaze pierced into him, and he felt her energy course rapidly through his veins. The pull of her magical power made him dizzy and hazy, and he felt high on the euphoric tingling of energy that moved through his body. The hunger that became ever so present spoke in a sultry voice, tempting him to submit to the ravenous need._

_A smile curled the corners of her mouth as she parted her lips for him, and she felt the crash of his kiss against hers. She allowed the kiss to linger, pleasure erupting through her as his tongue flickered against hers. Delicate fingers ran through his orange hair before they gripped and pulled him away from her. She smiled innocently as he let loose a growl mixed with annoyance and pleasure before falling to his knees._

_His hands remained around her waist as his fingers gripped against the fabric of her black gown. He stared longingly into her eyes, promising loyalty and obedience with the same gaze. He let his eyes fall to the ground as his hands released her from his grasp. His hands fell to the ground – mud made of blood and dirt seeping between his fingers – and brought his head to rest on the back of his hands as he bowed before her. He heard her musical laugh and the sound mixed with the cackling of fire._

_Moving through the flames, a gentle beat moved through town as it was carried on the hot air. The music was faint and weak, barely audible against the crash of a nearby stone wall. The steady melody wrapped around him and warmed his heart, giving him a short reprieve from the ever present hunger. The moment of silence allowed a feeling of dread to replace the hunger as his skin blistered with the heat of the flames that surrounded him. His eyes fell to his ash and blood stained hands before they moved up her form to her eyes. He stared deep into the emptiness that filled her, and he could see the darkness that moved through her veins in crashing currents of power. Panic gripped him as his hands snapped to grab hers, blemishing her pristine skin with the death on his hands. Quickly, he jumped to his feet and his looked around desperately as he tried to focus on the steady tune that had snapped him out of the spell that trapped him so easily. _

_Before he could move away from her, she snapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She breathed hot air through parted lips and allowed her hands to grip the sides of his neck. Her lips remained firm against his until she felt him stop the struggle and submit to the roughness of her tongue on his lips._

_He moved his hands to her waist and slid them to the small of her back. He felt her pull his body to the ground as she increased the intensity of her kisses and nibbles on his lips. His body pressed his weight onto her, trapping all of her under him. The hunger moved through his veins once more, and his hands began to roam, lifting the gown so that his hands could feel the softness of her skin under his fingertips. He felt her hands tugging at his button down shirt, ripping the fabric apart so that her fingernails could scratch at his chest. He pressed her into the death soaked dirt as she fidgeted with the clasp of his slacks. His body shivered as she guided him into her, and he heard the sultry voice of desire moan with pleasure as he moved inside her. Her breathy moans carried the melody to the measure of his grunts. His lips moved from her lips and his teeth nipped at her neck. He submitted to the lust, feeling the energy of her fill his body with life and magic. His muscles flared with the feel of her flesh around him and the feel of her energy coursing through him._

_Gone was the soft music that had snapped him from the intensity of her. All he could feel was the desire and the power that flow through her and into him. The hunger strengthened its grip on him and it grew as the flames sparked in intensity. Surrounded by flame and death, he took her again and again and again until the hunger of her was all he knew._

_. . . . ._

The rush made Loke's head spin as he sat up quickly from the shock as wave after wave of energy slammed against him. His hands tightly gripped the thin sheets of his bed. He felt her magic coursing through him, and he wondered what the others were experiencing. The sensation was intense, exhilarating, and addicting. She was safe –he knew that much–, but the power that moved through him was different. The warmth of love that was distinctly hers was replaced with something intoxicatingly more powerful.

He let loose a deep rumbling growl as he fell back to his bed. His eyes searched the star draped sky and found no solace in the soft glow that hovered over him. Lifting his hand over his face, Loke focused on the energy that moved through his veins. The steady stream of light had changed to a heavy current of power. His fingers curled into the palm, and he tightened his hand into a tight fist that he lowered to his chest. His heart beat heavily against the fist that he had rested over it.

Loke let his mind open as he mentally reached out to Lucy. His body felt the rush of raw emotion and power, causing him to slam the mental gates shut to avoid being overwhelmed. The voice in his head had grown louder. It blinded his senses, causing him to only see her and the potent link she shared with her celestial spirits. Her power had grown exponentially; they had all felt it. Early questions and concerns had stopped as the power moved through all of them in steady waves, and all of them relished in the rush of it. Loke, especially, enjoyed the sense of freedom it gave him from the suffocating denial of his desires. In that freedom, he drew his power. The feel of her under him still ran rampant in his mind and on his flesh, and he submitted to the desire he had kept buried for both their sakes. The promise of strength and of her was far too tempting to deny, and Loke no longer had the ability, nor the wish, to stop from falling deeper into the abyss.


	14. Chapter 14

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 14:**

Lucy sighed as she massaged the bridge of her nose, pressing into the minute muscles by her eyes. The pounding in her head was deafening and it took considerable energy to hold the food down in the pit of her stomach. She leaned her head back into the cushion of her seat, closing her eyes as she tried to ignore the sounds of her groaning partner who had taken possession of the entire seat across from her. Quietly, she scolded herself for having joined the previous night's drinking game when she knew she couldn't wallow in the consequences from the comforts of her own apartment. The steady sound the train just kept the cadence of the beat against her skull.

"I am never drinking again," moaned the normally jovial blue feline companion. Happy was lacking his usual gusto of positivity as he gently massaged his head with his paw, and he could only mange to sprawl over Natsu's stomach as he tried to ignore the uneasy sensation in his own stomach.

Natsu silently thanked the universe for Happy's lack of enthusiasm. He kept an arm over his closed eyes as he rested as still as possible on the seat. "Aye," he muttered as he tried to calm the motion sickness that lingered under the alcohol-induced headache that played a dissonance of percussions against his skull.

She sank in her seat and leaned her head against the cold window. Lucy kept her eyes closed, knowing that opening them would only make the motion sickness worse. The world was far too bright for her that morning, and it was making her stomach churn. "Drinking so much before our mission was such a stupid, stupid, stupid thing to do," she mumbled.

"Aye," voiced the subdued combined agreement with a shared groan.

Despite the discomfort, Lucy let a smile slip onto her lips. "Sure was fun though," she whispered with a soft chuckle in her voice.

"Aye," voiced the subdued combined agreement with a shared quiet laugh.

Natsu lowered the arm over his eyes slightly and he opened an eye to peek at Lucy. She kept her head pressed against the window, probably with the hope that the cold surface could ease her discomfort. His ears focused on her breathing, and he watched as her chest lifted and lowered gently with each soft inhalation and exhalation. He felt the ever present hunger, stronger yet again. It was buried deep under the hangover and the motion sickness. Muted as it was under his discomfort, he could feel it beating against his heart as he stared at her. He closed his eyes and moved his arm back to apply pressure to his eyes. In the black of his imagination, he thought of her as she was the previous night. His memory replayed her body's movement as it danced to the heavy sultry beat of the band. The hunger stirred quickly, and a voice urged him to take hold of her quickly before the annoying lion spirit made an appearance. At the thought of Loke, Natsu let a low rumbling growl slip between his lips and it made Happy lift his head in surprise.

"You okay?" Happy asked, his voice carrying curiosity mixed with worry.

"Yeah," he responded without looking at the blue feline. "Just wishing my body would stop." It wasn't entirely a lie, though Natsu knew he and Happy were considering different meanings. The dragon slayer felt Happy lower his head back down and the heavy weight of the exceed indicated that his companion had fallen asleep. He inhaled deeply, the sweet earthly scent of her filling his senses. Buried under the alluring scent of coriander was the ever comforting sweetness of vanilla. The scent spoke to him, a sultry voice wrapping around his thoughts. He listened to the siren call as the darkness of sleep captured him, and it continued to whisper with promises of passion unyielding and power unlimited.

. . . . .

"Master?"

The old man opened an eye as he peered into the gentle face of Mirajane. He let go of a soft disgruntled grumble before opening his other eye. His fingers gently drummed a steady beat against the papers that were covered his wooden desk. "Yes, Mira?"

She smoothed the surface of her dress before she clasped her hands together. If she had any real concerns, her facial expression showed no indication. "I have the information you requested."

He nodded and remained silent.

"Standard object retrieval. High reward," she responded. "Honestly, it doesn't seem anything out of the ordinary." A frown appeared on her face.

Makarov raised a brow as he waited for her to feel ready to continue.

Mira sighed softly as she admitted, "I just… I don't remember ever putting it on the board."

"I see." He stroked the ends of his mustache quietly.

"I still sense something is wrong, Master," she offered. "Lucy's magical energy wasn't right. It wasn't like her. And, it clearly had a negative effect on Natsu." Mira's lips formed a thin line. "I just have no evidence for it."

He worriedly mumbled under his breath as he nodded in agreement, understanding full well the bar maiden's concerns. He had sensed the change of Lucy's aura, but he had no way of explaining the change or proving it. "Send Erza and Gray after the brats," he ordered after much consideration. "I don't want them interrupting Lucy's and Natsu's mission, but I want them around to observe and help if something should happen. Maybe they'll be able to pinpoint the disturbance in energy that we've been sensing." He watched as Mira nodded and left to do as instructed. As the door closed behind her, he turned his chair to stare out the window. Leaning back, his eyes fell on the light blue sky. The beautiful weather did nothing to alleviate the nagging feeling that something was not quite right.


	15. Chapter 15

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 15**

They arrived at the Calluna train station five hours later. The trio felt a rush of relief as the ground remained steady under their feet and as a cool breeze moved quickly between them. The sun began to descend under the horizon, with the dark black sky moving slowly to replace the hues of pink, purple, orange, and red. The train released a burst of steam before it quieted down, and the trio realized they were the last passengers left in the station.

"Let's grab a room," Lucy declared as she grabbed her bag and began walking towards the town. "We still need to grab a cart for the rest of our journey. I think it may be best if we tried to do that when we're not recovering from last night." She sensed Natsu following close behind her, his furry blue companion comfortably resting on his shoulder. He quickened his step and soon they were walking side by side in silence. As they walked through the town, the lacrimas flickered on to provide a soft glow to against the dark of night.

Finding and renting a hotel room for the night was quick business, and it wasn't long before they quickly dumped their things in a corner of their room before crashing onto their respective mattresses. The loud sound of Natsu's stomach roared through the hotel room before anyone could discuss dinner, and the trio erupted in a laughter fueled by the giddiness that could only come from the combination of starvation and of riding out the consequences of heavy alcohol consumption. With soft chuckles and sheepish grins, all three made their way to the door. This was the comfort of the original Team Natsu. Without words, they moved easily as one. Dinner was the priority, and it wasn't long before they were able to decide on a meal that would satisfy their varied tastes. Little words were exchanged as they ate in the dimly lit tabletop grill restaurant.

The grill in front of them wafted the scent of searing meats and vegetables. The spread was impressive, even by their standards. They fed themselves easily, content for finally receiving the much needed reprieve from their respective hangovers. Happy munched blissfully on the seared fish that Lucy and Natsu prepared for him, a small stack of bones to his left as his stack of grilled fish awaited on his right. Both Lucy and Natsu took turns placing and removing meat and vegetables from the grill onto the other's plate. The comforting fragrance of food stuck to them, and it was only after the hunger pains started to subside did they really start to talk.

"So, what do we have to do?" he asked before moving the lightly charred slice of meat into his mouth.

Lucy unfolded the job request that she had slipped into the pocket of her skirt and read the request aloud, "Let me see. It says, '1,000,000 jewels for the retrieval of a family heirloom stolen by a dark guild hiding in the surrounding forest.'" She handed the sheet of paper to Natsu. "It sounds pretty standard for us, to be honest." She guided the thick end of her chopsticks to the grill, picked off a large portion of pork belly that had been calling to her, and popped it onto her plate before turning the chopsticks right side up to throw the pork belly into her mouth excitedly. Her face turned red from the heat. "Hot! Hot!" she exclaimed as she fanned air into her o-shaped mouth and sucked in air to cool the sizzling meat that burnt her tongue.

Laughing at her excitement over their meal, Natsu quickly scanned the sheet and nodded. "Well, let's get moving early in the morning. I think the hotel clerk said it would be a four hour ride up to the villa. The road's going to be bumpy, knowing my luck," he said with a twinge of dread in his voice. It was not going to be a good morning for him. He opted to cheer himself up with more grilled meat and picked off a few pieces of beef to plop into his mouth.

She smiled sympathetically at him. They ate the rest of their meal in comfortable silence, and it wasn't long before all three were back in their hotel room. Happy quickly flew to the foot of a bed to curl up with a yawn. Natsu and Lucy exchanged a cheerful knowing laugh when the blue exceed started snoring.

For once, Lucy had been quick in the bathroom. She had exited in just a towel, and Natsu made concerted effort not to stare at her as she bent over her bag to retrieve her sleeping clothes. He disappeared into the bathroom to allow her the privacy to change, and he opted for a cooler than normal shower to quiet the soft sultry voice that had never left his thoughts for the last few days. He exited the shower, wearing just his sleeping pants and opted to keep his shirt off to enjoy the cool air. His eyes looked for her, and he found her outside on the balcony. She had turned off the lights in the room, and she was looking at the city as the light lacrimas competed with the stars above them.

Natsu remained in the shadow of the room as he tilted his head slightly as his eyes traveled over her body. Her hair was still wet, and it drenched the back of the light pink sleeping shirt that stopped at mid-thigh. His eyes swept over the curves of her legs as she scratched the back of her calf with a toe. She was leaning over the railing, clearly deep in thought. He placed the towel over his head, rubbing his pink hair dry, and approached her. Throwing his arms over the balcony railing, he nudged her shoulder with his. He flashed his signature smile, one that he knew she enjoyed immensely. When she looked at him, her eyes flickered with a dark void before it was replaced with a dulled softness of her usual gaze. He felt her energy change, and the pull towards her only fortified its hold on him.

Lucy turned her attention back to the town and tilted her head to rest on his shoulder. The silence remained for a few minutes longer before she broke the stillness between them, her voice calm and wistful. "I've missed this," she said without looking at him, "just us."

He pulled at the corner of the towel and removed it from his head, allowing the damp cloth to hang on his bare shoulder. His voice unable to move past his throat, he casually draped an arm over her shoulder. He pulled her closer to him, allowing the heat of his skin warm her through the fabric of her sleeping shirt.

"I dreamt of this place," her words floating on air. She imagined the ground below her alight with fire, and a small smile appeared on her lips as the sensation of hunger and power filled her body.

"You did?" Natsu turned his head slightly to look at her, his nose tickled by the strands of her hair and the aroma of coriander and anemone dulled his usually sharp senses. His skin prickled at the subtle rise of the magic that swirled around her, and it tickled him teasingly.

She nodded slowly, her eyes peering into the darkness as she decided to avoid revealing the details that flashed before her eyes as if dream had turned to reality. "It was warmer," she described simply. She listened as Natsu breathed, and she gently placed a hand over his heart. "Loke was there." She felt his muscles tense. The corner of her lips lifted with a puckish snicker before it disappeared into a warm smile. She pulled away from his hold just enough so she could look at him. "So were you," she revealed with a soft voice. She hid her face into his shoulder and she felt him pull her closer to him. "You were both watching over me and enjoying the sight of the city. It was nice."

Natsu let his lips brush against the strands of her hair, and he forced himself not to kiss the top of her head. The intimacy of the moment hasted his breathing. "Luce," he started. His thoughts stopped the words from escaping his lips when she shifted to look at him expectantly. "I will always be by your side," he told her as he leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes remained focused on her eyes, wondering if she could easily see the hunger that she had caused. The darkness of her irises pulled at him, and he felt himself sink into the depths of them as the voice of desire continued to tap against his skull. How easy it could be for him to kiss her. The desire teetered dangerously on his lips, but he couldn't will his body to freefall into her.

Lucy chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that," she replied. She pulled away only slightly so she could look at his whole face, her tongue lightly licking her lips. Her eyes caught the signs of anticipation in his gaze as his eyes fell onto her lips briefly. Carefully, she let herself linger his embrace before she pulled away and shifted her gaze away in an attempt to look modest. "We should go to sleep," she offered softly. She let her hand trail on the muscles of his shoulder before she gently took his hand into hers. As she moved, she pulled him into the darkness of the room.


	16. Chapter 16

**[Author's Note: This chapter is rated M(A) for explicit adult descriptions/themes. 18+.]**

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 16: **

_He watched the flames dance around him, heat catching on the wind. His vest lifted with the warmth as flickers of ember floated into the air. Glancing down, his hands were black with coal and his feet felt the moisture of earth drenched with blood. Steadily, he moved through the town. His senses flooded his body. The flames burst alive in red and orange to announce his presence as he walked the empty street. Slowly, he moved towards the thin silhouette that sat patiently on the stone ledge of the great fountain in the middle of the town square. She was looking up at the fountain's statue, which had long stopped working since their barrage of attacks. Her body was leaning over the ledge, her hand lightly swirling the warm water that remained. His eyes followed her stare, watching his flames dance on the stone face of the statue as ash twirled on the wind._

_As he neared, she turned to face him with an impious smile on her lips. He stared down at her before lowering to his knees before her. Carefully, he rested his head on her lap and he closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through the wildness of his pink hair and massaged his scalp. When her fingertips grazed the tiny hair by the nape of his neck, he released a soft growl of pleasure that awoke his senses. He lifted his head and stared at her longingly. When he saw the smile of permission, he moved to swiftly. Taking her into his arms roughly, he leaped and pushed against her body, twisting her into his arms as they fell back into the warm water of the fountain. He crashed his lips into her neck as they displaced the water in a smooth splash. Her skin tasted of ash and her skin smelt of fire, sending his senses into an easy frenzy that overtook him._

_The clothes clung to their skins, fabric soaked in water. His hands violently grabbed the straps of her gown and pulled them down her shoulder as he bit and kissed her skin. His hands roamed freely and savagely, feeling the curves of her back, her buttocks, her thighs, and her breasts in insatiable need. He willed his hands to slow their exploration as he focused his kisses on her lips. A hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her closer to him as the other hand entwined its fingers through her hair. Her moan sent heated air through his parted lips, and he breathed in the life that she sent him through their shared moment. He felt her nails grip at the muscles of his arm before they traveled down to his waist. He released a hungry moan of approval at her touch._

_The melody moved steadily, come alive as a single golden ribbon that danced on the scorching air. The beat was morose, yet the melody carried the softness of hope uncorrupted. It floated over them as the rhythm weaved through the destruction of his fire, and it reflected a golden sparkle that caught his eye as it danced on the air near his face. The music flowed through him, and he felt it moving through his body as it carefully stifled the sultry voice of desire that plagued him._

_His eyes remained on the ribbon, his keen hearing able to focus on the tenderness of the tune. As it sang to him, his body tensed at the feel of her on him. His skin shivered at the coldness of her skin against his. When she ended their kiss to look at him, he softly gasped at the emptiness of her gaze. The loving warmth of her brown eyes were replaced with the cold and fixed void of black. He was overwhelmed by death, suddenly aware of the lack of life around them. Panic moved quickly through him as his attention darted from the destruction to her. Shaking his head in the malevolence of it all, he tried to push her off him but found himself unable to move from under the weight of her body._

_She sneered, turning her head towards the golden ribbon that floated above them. The flames around them flared as they tried to reach the melody personified. The ribbon flew high above the flames as it escaped, its melody drowned against the roar of destruction._

_He watched helplessly as the song's comforting cadence slowly softened to nothing. The desire roared deafeningly against his ears, and he felt himself pulled back into the ravenous feel of her as she began to kiss him. His body responded readily to her again. He desperately searched the sky for the golden ribbon as he felt his mind falling back into the abyss._

. . . . .

His eyes snapped open and he moved his rough hands over his face, feeling the dampness of sweat on the sheets that surrounded him. Natsu willed his heartbeat to slow as he breathed through the panic that coursed through his body. The uneasiness upset his stomach. He shifted in bed carefully, doing his best not to wake the sleeping exceed that warmed the foot of the bed that they shared. His eyes fell to Lucy as she slept in the bed across from his. The glow of the city's soft illumination gave her skin an iridescent glow. His heart bea steadily against his chest as he watched her sleep, her face peaceful with strands of her hair draped delicately over her cheek. Natsu felt the usual warmth in his chest whenever he regarded the blonde celestial mage, and it made him smile.

He felt the urge to move into her bed to scoop her into his arms for the evening. The thought of her skin against his awakened his desires, pushing away the tenderness he had only just felt. The voice boomed loudly in his thoughts, and it pulsed through his veins as the sheets caressed his body. It urged him to ignore the depths of doubt and worry that lingered under the confusion. It fought against the dream that troubled him, telling him to focus on the contentment of her flesh that seemed to transcend from dream and move into reality. The steady rhythm of her breaths created a soft melody that made the voice in his head sing the promise of forever, and it tempted him with desires of flesh and soul and power. A world of fire in her arms, it told him, if only he would follow her into the void. Fall into her, it repeated in a steady beat that followed the measure of his heart. Sleep weighed his eyes, and he let the voice coax him deeper into as he dreamed of her.


	17. Chapter 17

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 17:**

The washboard dirt road threw them this way and that, while the uneven terrain bobbed them up and down. The cart had no canvas cover, which allowed the crisp morning air to whip around them with each breeze that moved through the forest that surrounded them. Lucy had maintained a good sense of her balance by leaning against a corner, and her hand would sometimes grip at the wooden edge of the cart to avoid being thrown too far. The ride to the client's mansion was pure and utter torture for the dragon slayer, but he managed to keep it together for a majority of the journey before he rested his head on Lucy's lap with Happy protectively hugged in his arms.

"Natsu, you're crushing me!" Happy whined, extending his vowels.

It wasn't a lie; Natsu had been using him as a comfort pillow the moment he couldn't bare the churning of his stomach any longer. Any time the wave of queasiness peaked, Natsu would squeeze the air out of Happy's lungs. He could only groan to answer the complaint.

Lucy smirked as she looked down at the mess of pink hair that covered her lap. Instantly, she moved her hand through his hair while her other hand kept hold of the side of the cart. "Leave him alone, Happy," she instructed. She played with his hair before her fingertips started to apply pressure against his scalp. Each of her delicate fingers moved in tiny circles, placing and relieving pressure as it moved slowly through his hair.

His feline eyes watched as Lucy soothed Natsu with her touch, and his usual spark of puckish personality flickered into existence. "You liiiiikkkkeee him," the blue exceed teased as he rolled his tongue at his words. Happy waited for the usual reaction – for the blush, for the stuttering, for the threats – but there was none. He pouted and sunk into Natsu's arms, allowing the pained man to hug him tightly. When Natsu's tight grip lessened, Happy found it comfortable enough to fall asleep.

Natsu's groans stopped as he felt the pressure from Lucy's hands began pushing past the nausea that controlled him to numb his senses. With his eyes closed, he focused on the strength that flowed from her fingertips, like a gentle flow of a babbling brook. It took hold of the nausea and contained it, not enough to feel as if he was standing on solid ground but enough for him to find focus in his senses. As the calm moved through him, he could sense Lucy's celestial magic moving through him and entwining with the raging fire magic that he kept closely controlled. He felt her magic teasingly tap against the barriers that kept his magic in check, as if daring it to come and play. The sensation was enticing, and it caused him to take a deep breath as he turned his head to bury his face into her lap. The scent of her filled him and made him growl with hunger.

Lucy chuckled as she stopped, both the gentle head massage and the reach of her magic. She lightly tapped the top of Natsu's head. "Now, now," she told him softly. "Let's try and behave shall we?"

He buried his head deeper into her lap without moving the snoozing exceed in his arms. He dared to nuzzle his nose as he inhaled the scent of her, and then he bit her. Lightly, but he bit her. The desire moved through him so quickly that he didn't have a chance to think, and the act surprised him. Natsu wanted to recoil from himself, his actions frightening and confusing him, but stopped when he heard the soft laugh. Then, he felt the gentle and delicate pressure of her fingers against his scalp, and her magic flowed into him again.

"Silly little dragon," she chided as she laughed softly, her hands never resting as her magic continued to tease the pink haired fire dragon slayer.

. . . . .

The office was ornate, decorated in rich dark oak detailing, with a high ceiling –roughly two stories above them – with an intricate painting that vividly depicted a brutal and violent battle among wizards. Five long and thin windows stood side-by-side and began about halfway up from the floor and reached to the ceiling, ending in steep arches. A bookshelf sat under the window and stretched from wall to wall. A striking wall of bookshelves sat parallel to the windowed wall, with an attached iron sliding ladder that allowed reach to the books that were placed on the second story shelves.

The wall behind the gigantic office desk was decorated by a single large tapestry that matched the painted ceiling. The desk itself was a solid mass of wood, with faces and swirls hand carved into the dark wood. The surface was covered with several short stacks of old books, with a mess of papers spread over most of its surface. An old and imposing black leather chair sat empty.

The double-door office entrance sat in the center of the wall parallel to the desk. On the same wall, a grandfather clock ticked quietly as its pendulum swung from side to side. A gallery of framed painted portraits covered the wall to the ceiling.

Lucy sat back into one of the two plush winged leather chairs that faced the desk, her fingers drumming the wood detailing on the seat's arm. She gracefully threw her leg over her knee, letting her bare slender leg swing to the beat of a song in her mind. Her eyes remained focused on the empty leather chair behind the desk, a chair in which a client should be sitting. Natsu stood imposingly beside her with his arms crossed over his bare chest. Happy rested peacefully on his shoulder. They were getting annoyed as their impatience grew. Lucy sighed as she glanced at the intimidating grandfather clock behind them. "Forty-five minutes," she muttered to Natsu. "We've been waiting forty-five minutes."

Natsu nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed to the top of her head. The energy that surrounded her was dark, filled with a level of annoyance that he had never seen of her. It tickled him as it filled the room. When he heard the doors behind them swing open, Natsu watched for Lucy's reaction. She had heard it too, but she didn't move aside from straightening in the chair. He took his cue from her and kept his attention forward, his eyes focusing on the gruesome tapestry that hung behind the desk.

The sound of his footsteps echoed against the hardwood floor until he reached the desk. He leaned against the edge as he stood before them, a young and handsome man with deep black eyes and classically styled white hair with a thick black streak.

Lucy kept her eyes fixed on him as her eyes flickered with disdain for having been made to wait. She moved her head to one side as she chose her words. "I am not accustomed to being made to wait." The tone was void of any real emotion.

Happy stared at Lucy with surprise. He whispered very softly into Natsu's ear to avoid being heard by anyone else, "Is Lucy okay?"

Natsu ignored the exceed, instead watching the client. He didn't fail to notice that the client hadn't bothered to really acknowledge his presence.

A smile appeared on his lips as he placed his hands on the desk, his eyes firmly fixed on Lucy. His eyes traveled over Lucy's bare leg before settling on her eyes. "I apologize, Miss," he paused to allow her the chance to fill the silence.

"Lucy Heartfilia," she said. Lucy nonchalantly waved her hand to the dragon slayer and exceed beside her. "These are my associates, Natsu Dragneel and Happy."

"I am Dai Kurai," he introduced, not bothering to look at the two behind her. The sound of her drumming fingers filled the silence between them.

"Natsu?" Happy whispered into Natsu's ear. The feline felt the hard pinch over his snout that silenced him. The pressure was enough to make his eyes water, and he looked surprisingly at Natsu. The dragon slayer didn't meet his gaze, and Happy cowered on his friend's shoulder as his mind raced with confusion. He watched as Lucy and Kurai continued to regard each other – the woman staring at Kurai with indifference and the man staring at Lucy with approval.

Kurai broke the silence first. "A very important heirloom was stolen from me recently," he began, finally taking the time to look at Natsu and Happy before returning his gaze to Lucy. "I suspect it was taken by the dark guild, Twilight Force, who have base in a cave northeast from here."

"What makes you think they're the ones who took it?" Natsu asked.

"The guild master, Dai Ichiro, has had his eye on the heirloom for as long as I can remember."

"Dai Ichiro?" Natsu frowned. "The guild master is-."

"My older brother," finished Kurai. "Yes."

Lucy finally spoke. "Do you believe it wise to have a guild handle a family dispute?" she questioned, her tone lacking her usual kindness. "Fairy Tail does not hold back in its missions, and we cannot guarantee your brother will not be harmed or worse."

Kurai crossed his arms over his chest. "Ichiro hasn't been part of this family for years," explained the young man. "You have my word that I will not hold you, your colleagues, or your guild responsible should anything happen to my brother."

Lucy looked at him for a while as she considered his words. "Very well," she said. "We shall retrieve your family heirloom. We'll need a description."

"Of course," he responded as he reached behind him, picked up a piece of parchment, and gave it to Lucy. "It's a red brooch. It is delicate, so please don't jostle it too much."

Lucy looked at the parchment, her hand gently tracing the lines of the drawing it contained. She nodded once more before standing. Natsu with an upset Happy still on his shoulder and Lucy began to move to the door. She and Natsu stopped when Kurai called out to her, turning only slightly to stare at the man.

"And Miss Heartfilia. I need that brooch in three nights time," he told her. "Make sure you return by then." Kurai watched as her eyes remained fixed on him. A calm and knowing smile appeared on his lips as she didn't respond and turned her back to him before exiting his office.


	18. Chapter 18

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 18**

The trio made their way through the dense forest in silence. Their breaths were ragged with exhaustion as they fought against the thick foliage for the last nine hours. It was well into the night, and the careful glow of the fire in Natsu's hand was the only light that carried them through the near complete darkness that surrounded them. The reach of the trees concealed the glow of stars, only allowing for a glimpse through the tiny gaps between leaves and branches.

"Lucy," Happy whined as he sat on Natsu shoulder. He was tired from walking, his wings having disappeared after his magic disappeared from flying the first half of their trek. "I'm tired."

The celestial mage, who followed Natsu so that his fire could guide them, ignored the feline. Her hands pushed the large leaves away from her face as they carefully and quietly made their way through the undergrowth.

"Natsu," the exceed whined when he heard no reply from the woman.

"Stop whining," Natsu grumbled. "We're all tired."

"You're so mean to me today," sniffled Happy.

Natsu sighed as he reached his free hand to gently stroke the top of the exceed's head. "I've just been on edge all day. It's not you," he told him softly. It wasn't entirely a lie. His skin prickled at the sensation of uneasiness that coursed through his veins. He had been antsy, itching to fight, since they stepped off the cart at the end of the rough ride to the mansion.

It was enough to calm Happy's sniffles, but the cat remained quiet as he listened to the sound of Lucy's footsteps behind them. He hadn't failed to notice the change in her character. The celestial mage had taken the lead during the first leg of their journey, leading the team through the thick forest. She never offered a word of explanation when she led them off the trail and veered into the heart of the undergrowth that kept their trail hidden. It was only when it was too dark to see that Natsu took over, and even then she would only reach to touch his arm when they needed to change directions.

Natsu looked behind him to check on Lucy, his eyes fixed on her before he returned to guiding their way. He moved carefully, allowing himself to step through a bulky patch of bushes. The thorns of the bush scratched against his skin as he made his way to the other side where he found himself standing at a small clearing. It could barely be called a clearing, but it was a break from the thickness of green growth around them nonetheless. The moon above them allowed for a bit of light to fill the dark clearing. "We should stop here," he told Lucy as he turned to her. "It's late, and there's no way of knowing how much farther we have to go."

She nodded and they removed the packs on their backs. As Lucy prepared their sleeping bags by removing the thin mats and blankets from the top of their respective packs, Natsu gathered a few small branches and lit a fire. They sat tiredly on the center of their mats as they started to rummage for food buried deep within their packs.

Lucy pulled out her leather bota bag from her side and took several comforting chugs of water, thirst overwhelming her senses. Her hands blindly found the two fist-sized packages of food, each wrapped in thin leather, that were buried deep in her pack. She unwrapped the first package until she reached the thick banana leaf and peeled away the leaf corners until she reached the rice hidden within the green. She gave it to Natsu before turning her attention to the portion she had pulled out for herself. Happy sat close to Natsu as he ate the dried fish that he had pulled from the green handkerchief pack on his back. The trio ate in silence as they watched the fire.

"I think," Lucy began as she broke the silence with her soft tone, "that we have to go that way." Natsu looked up and followed Lucy's gaze to a small and almost unnoticeable trail at the edge of the clearing.

The dragon slayer stared at the trail's entrance. "How do you know?"

She took a bite of her meal as she tried to answer. When her mouth was clear, she could only shrug. Her instincts had been pulling her in a single direction since they left Kurai's mansion. "I just do," she replied, expecting him to accept her answer.

"That doesn't make sense, Lucy," Happy told her, and he physically drew back at the sharp look that the mage gave him. He scooted closer to Natsu as he kept his mouth full with his fish.

"I don't know how to explain it," Lucy explained with faded kindness in her eyes. "My instincts are telling me we have to go that way."

Natsu turned his attention back to the trail. "Okay," he accepted. He looked at Lucy. "Let's finish eating and then go to sleep. We'll want to get an early start tomorrow." The rest of their dinner was finished in silence as they ate their meal of rice, dried meats, nuts, and dried berries. He heard Lucy yawn, and he snuffed out the flames of their small fire. He slipped between the mat and the blanket and felt Happy curl up on top of his legs. The glow of the stars above them filtered through the leaves and branches as the darkness surrounded them. And soon, Natsu felt his blue exceed friend become heavy with sleep.

Lucy closed her eyes as she listened to the forest around them. "Natsu?" she called out to him softly.

"Aye?" He turned his head to her direction.

"You'll stick by me, right?" Her voice was soft and void of any emotion.

"Of course, I will. You're my best friend."

"And you'll do anything for me?"

"Anything." The answer was so easy for him. He would do anything for his friends and his family.

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?"

Natsu wished he could see her face as he wondered why she was asking. Her voice was lacking its usual warmth. In the darkness that surrounded them, the sultry hungry voice in his mind whispered its usual promises. The edge of his tongue ran along the edge of his teeth, pausing over the points of his canines. He grinned as he recalled her scent and the taste of her skin after he had bitten her earlier that morning. How easy it could be to make her his. Fulfill her every whim, and she would be his, it told him. It wouldn't be difficult; he was already willing to do anything and everything for her. There was no need to hesitate. His answer was firm and determined. "Nothing at all."

Satisfied, she shifted and released a heavy breath as she pulled her blanket to her chin. "Good night, Natsu."

"Good night, Lucy." Natsu listened as her breathing slowed with sleep, and he soon followed.

. . . . .

The forest quieted with their approach, his shadow melding with the darkness of the thick undergrowth that surrounded the unsuspecting trio. With a slight flicker of his eyes, he sent the shadows towards the three who were deep in sleep. The dark lines of the forest encroached, reaching with a sinister quiet force as it slid over their faces. At a moment's notice, his shadows solidified and grabbed hold of the three, stifling their cries of surprise. He jumped off his perch from a nearby tree and landed in the clearing with ease. The three stared anger searing gazes at their captor before their muffled cries gave way to unconsciousness as the shadows that covered their mouths to extinguished their air supply.


	19. Chapter 19

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 19**

Natsu groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open, and he struggled to sit up from the hard cold rocky surface on which he had been sleeping. Confusion dissolved quickly when he remembered their ambush and of how they had been so easily taken without struggle. His eyes searched for Lucy and Happy, and he released a breath when he found their bodies only a few meters away. Lifting his nose to the air, the musky moisture-filled air confirmed his suspicions – they were deep in a cave –which meant he would need to be careful with his fire to avoid getting crushed by their surroundings

He tried to glance back at his hands, which were firmly tied behind his back. Struggling didn't loosen the binds, and his wrists ached with the sting of the friction against his skin. He tried to light his wrists on fire and he scowled in annoyance when his body wouldn't comply. He grumbled at the realization that his fire couldn't release him from his confinement with the magic binds hindering his magic, and his brow furrowed as he tried to think of an escape. Frowning, he glanced around, realizing they were surrounded by rock and stone. Their cell was lit by several torches beyond the iron bars that lined the only opening of their prison. Before he could make a raucous to call out the fiends who had taken them hostage, Lucy and Happy began to stir.

She grumbled as she felt the coldness against the side of her cheek. It took great effort to sit, and she scowled at their predicament the moment she could focus. "I'd ask what happened, but I think I already know what happened," she grumbled towards Natsu. Lucy's eyes fell to her waist and the frown that had already been on her lips deepened. "They took my keys," she growled as she instantly noticed the missing ring of keys and whip on her belt. Lucy stood and leaned against the stone walls, and she let the coolness of the rocks ease the ache of her muscles.

Happy groaned as he stood, his paws firmly tied behind his back. "Who attacked us?" he asked worriedly. He made his way towards Natsu.

"I bet you it was Twilight Force," replied Natsu.

"And you'd win that bet," came a deep voice. It echoed against the walls of the small cell. The cloaked man stood before the iron bars. Gruff large hands removed the cloak's hood, revealing a black eyed and black haired man with a thick white streak through his hair. He seemed to tower over them, standing tall with a muscular build that wasn't really hidden under the heavy cloak that draped over his shoulders. His eyes were fierce and focused on Lucy as he spoke. "Why are you trespassing in my forest?"

Natsu jumped to his feet and stood between the man and Lucy, forcing the man to look at the dragon slayer. "Didn't see your name anywhere during our walk," he responded hotly.

"Everything within a 100 km radius of the Dai mansion is my forest," the man responded flatly. "Now. I'm going to ask again. Why are you trespassing in my forest?"

Lucy managed to stand and took careful steps towards the bars, but remained behind Natsu. "Who are you?"

The man looked at Lucy, his gaze lingering on the mage. A small knowing smile appeared on his lips. "I suspect you already know that answer."

She regarded the man a moment, staring at him for a minute as she started to see the resemblance. "Ichiro," she managed, and she moved to stand next to Natsu when the muscular man nodded his affirmation with a sinister grin. "We're from Fairy Tail, and I bet you know why we're here."

Ichiro stared at Lucy, his smile never disappearing. "My pathetic baby brother send you, didn't he?"

"We don't want to fight you. We just want to get the brooch and be on our way. We don't want to take it by force."

Natsu's mouth widened with a toothy grin in approval. "I'd do what the lady says. She doesn't like it when she doesn't get what she wants."

"I don't think so, pinky." He smirked as Natsu's eyes flared with annoyance at the name. "The brooch is important, and I'm not about to hand it over to some blonde bimbo I don't know."

Lucy spoke before Natsu could send back a retort. "We will get out, Ichiro," she warned with a deadly calm. She felt her magic swirling in her body, and it created a small draft that kicked dust around her ankles. No one noticed the physical manifestation of her anger as she continued to talk. "We will get out, and we will get that brooch. I can promise you that."

Ichiro stared at the woman before he sneered. "You're a lively one," he replied, ignoring her threat. "Maybe I'll just make you mine instead." He mumbled the rest of the sentence, speaking to himself more than his captives. His eyes never broke its gaze with the blonde, and his mind busy with thoughts only known to him.

Natsu looked back at Lucy incredulously as his ears picked up on Ichiro's soft mumblings. "What is it with villains always wanting to claim you as their own? You know it's really irritating, right?" He smirked, the possessiveness hidden in his teasing.

Lucy flashed a knowing and confident smile. "It's my sex appeal. I can't help it." She mirrored his smirk and Natsu laughed heartily at her words.

Happy shook his head and spoke, "She's not even that pretty."

Lucy glared at the cat. "Shut it, cat." Her eyes narrowed at Happy's grin.

"My, my. What a cute little family the three of you make," Ichiro interrupted, bringing all attention back to him. He stared at Lucy, his eyes lingering over her face. Shaking his head, he started to walk away. "Get me the girl," he directed to a random guard who was not within sight of the captured.

Natsu's eyes narrowed as he put his body in front of Lucy's. "You'd have to get through me first!" he roared as the guard started to unlock the iron bar gate. He threw his weight against the guard, knocking him into the bars with his body. But soon, he found his body unable to move. "What the-," he screamed in frustration as he tried to twist free.

Ichiro smirked, a shadow casted over his eyes as the bangs of his hair fell over his face. "I wouldn't bother, kid," he muttered as if bored. "You can't fight my shadow magic."

The dragon slayer's eyes fell to his shadow, which was trapped by Ichiro's shadow. He grunted as he tried to move his feet and his limbs.

"Natsu!" screamed Happy as he moved towards his friend, but stopped as a shadow reached and caught him in its grip. He tried moving but failed, causing him to whimper with desperation.

Lucy's gaze snapped from the dragon slayer and his feline companion before it focused on Ichiro. Two guards ran into the room, one grabbing his fallen comrade while the other grabbed Lucy by the arm and started dragging her out of the cell. "Let me go!" she screamed as she struggled, digging her feet against the ground in hopes of preventing her removal.

"Lucy!" Natsu tried with all his might to move his body, but his legs couldn't follow his instructions. He screamed with frustration. "If you lay one finger on her, I will rip you to shreds!" he screamed as his eyes burned at Ichiro. He tried to rally his magic, to let it flow into his hands to spark the flames that would dance on his skin but none came.

The dark mage just smirked as Lucy was dragged out of cell and the cell door was locked behind her. He didn't say another word the celestial mage was dragged away. Ichiro took a moment to stare at Natsu, smiling condescendingly as the dragon slayer fought against his own shadow. Snickering, he released the hold of his magic and watched as his prisoner faltered in his step as momentum took over his struggles. "No worries, slayer," he told the screaming Natsu as he walked away. "I just need to get to see something for myself."


	20. Chapter 20

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 20**

She was easily dragged away down several cavernous hallways. After the third turn, she had wrestled her arms free of the guard's grip and huffily agreed to walk the rest of the way. She was led into a large office, lit by several torches that were attached to the rocky walls. The guard left her alone, closing the heavy wooden door behind him after he had pushed her into the room. She took a moment to look around. The room had the distinct feel of an office, with a large oak desk in the far back wall, and several leather arm chairs. There was an oversized table with a large map and several parchment paper sprawled over the surface. Before Lucy could make her way towards the table to investigate, the door opened behind her.

Ichiro sauntered into the room, and he tilted his head as he regarded Lucy as he approached her without a word. He ignored the flinch she gave instinctively as she took a step away from him before she planted her feet and willed herself to stand defiantly in place. His black eyes regarded her quietly as he walked around her.

She kept her eyes fixed on Ichiro as he stood in front of her. She made no attempt to speak, unsure of what was going through the man's mind.

"You're a dead ringer for her," he muttered as he finally broke the silence. His eyes fell on the shine of her yellow hair. Ichiro shook his head, a sadness suddenly heavy on his shoulders. He ignored the frown on Lucy's lips as his eyes met her confused gaze. "Stronger though. A celestial mage. He didn't tell me that. That would make him practically unbeatable," he continued mumbling to himself.

She frowned at his words, feeling uncomfortable as he studied her. Lucy had grown accustomed to being the subject of unwanted advances, but Ichiro didn't look at her in that way. "What are you talking about?" Her frown deepened as Ichiro ignored her question and stared deep into her eyes as if he was searching for something. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her by the arms, stilling her body as his shadow wrapped around her. "Hey! Let me go!" Lucy screamed as she felt his magic clawing against the magic that resided deep within her body. She felt her magic fighting back as his magic tried to pull against hers. Her teeth clenched as she closed her eyes, the sensation of his magic burning into her core. She imagined the magic that coursed through her body and forced it to flare against his with an intensity she didn't know she possessed. The strength of her magic pulsed through her, and Lucy took in a deep breath as her fingers tingled as her magic tickled her.

The sudden burst made him stagger, and Ichiro stumbled back. He frowned, shaking his head as his shadows released her. "Crap!" he sent his shadows towards her.

Lucy opened her eyes, and she released a flash golden of magic that stopped the shadows from reaching her. She regarded the man, the lightness of her brown eyes replaced with a dark chestnut that were void of any softness. "What were you trying to do to me?!" she hissed angrily. Her magic swirled around her, lifting her hair wildly around her.

"I was testing a theory," Ichiro replied, taking a step back from the celestial mage. Lucy started to stalk towards him, her magic swirling strongly around her to warm the damp air of his office. It pushed against him, sending shocks along his skin. He refused to flinch, instead screaming authoritatively. "I could use some help over here, you idiots!"

She turned to watch as the office door slammed open and several guards rushed into the room. Before she could even react, Lucy found herself pinned to the ground by three guards. Distracted, the rush of power that surged through her body stopped as she struggled against the rough hands that held her down. She hissed in pain at the knee that dug into her back. "Let me go!" she screamed as they roughly lifted her to her feet.

Ichiro shrugged as he watched her scream. "You're not quite ready, sweetie," he smirked. "Soon though. Then, maybe we can talk." He nodded to the guards, and he was soon left alone with his thoughts.

. . . . .

Lucy struggled roughly as the guards threw her back into the cold cell with Natsu and Happy. Quickly, she jumped her feet and rushed towards the bar doors. "When I get out of here, I'm going to kick your ass!" she screamed angrily as she raged against the metal bars, kicking and screaming uncontrollably.

Natsu and Happy watched in surprise as Lucy didn't calm until several minutes later. When she turned to face them and slid down along the bars to sit on the cold ground, a scowl was firmly plastered on her face while her eyes looked calculating and deep in thought.

"Lucy's scary when she's mad," muttered Happy.

"Shut it cat," Lucy grumbled as her hands tried to loosen the binds that were around her wrists. She looked up and met Natsu's eyes. "No luck getting these things off you?"

Natsu shook his head. "No. I've tried burning them off, but they're stopping my magic." He regarded the woman quietly. The air around her seemed cold, and he noticed the energy around her that burned blue with a cold fury. She seemed to be leaking magic energy, and it tickled his skin enticingly. He shook off the anger that was building within himself.

She leaned back, checking for guards stationed near the cell. She saw none, and she recalled the rather light security that milled around their location. Lucy smirked, realizing that they had been left fairly unguarded. "Did you try the old fashioned way?" Lucy asked as she stood up and began moving around the cell.

"The old fashioned way?" He shook his head, not understanding. Natsu watched as Lucy examined the walls, sometimes turning to feel the surface with her hands.

Lucy didn't respond, only moving slowly along the walls until she seemed to find what she wanted. Turning, she felt the sharp edge with her fingers and gingerly started moving her hands up and down against the sharp edge of the rock wall.

"What are you doing?" Happy asked as he watched Lucy's arms move, but he couldn't quite grasp her plan.

"Trying to get out of here," Lucy muttered softly. She hissed as the sharp edge scratched against her skin. "Just watch out for anyone who might interrupt." Realizing what she was doing, Natsu jumped to his feet and moved towards the bars to keep watch.

The process of fraying the rope was tedious, and Lucy found her arms sore after several minutes of work. Every few minutes she would need to stop to ease the strain her muscles would feel. After what seemed like -and what was probably- hours, Lucy felt the binds loosen and she freed her hands. "Finally!" she sighed with relief as she rubbed her sore wrists and arms. She rushed to Natsu and untied the ropes around his wrists before moving to Happy to do the same.

Natsu grinned at Lucy. "Let's get out of here," he told her as he moved to the bars. He placed a hand over the metal door and released a charged flame to melt the metal latch. He watched as latch melted into nothing, and he kicked the door open as he flexed his muscles and rolled his head from side to side to release the tension in his muscles. He sensed Lucy step closer, her energy flicking against his skin as it enticed his warm body to flicker with a fire of its own. With a toothy grin plastered on his lips, he began moving down the hallway as his body itched for a fight.


	21. Chapter 21

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 21**

"This way! I'll bet anything that my keys are in his office," she directed as they maneuvered down the last hallway towards the office. Her memory led them down the cold hallways. They had taken out only four guards along the way, and they did so quietly to avoid a rush of goons. She saw the last guard in front of the office, and Lucy broke into a run as the guard did the same. As the man reached her, she quickly dropped and slid to knock him off his feet. It sent the man over her head, straight into Natsu's fiery fist. When she turned to look back at the guard, Natsu had already knocked the man out with his single punch. She smirked as she saw Natsu's disapproving and bored look; his body twitched for more. Lucy turned her attention back to the office door and jumped to her feet.

She opened the door, ready to fight Ichiro but found the office empty. Natsu stood guard at the door as she rushed towards the desk. Happy floated over the room until he settled over the oversized table. Lucy rummaged roughly through the papers that were spread over the desk's surface before she started opening the drawers until she found the ring of silver and golden keys and her whip. "Ah!" she exclaimed with untold happiness. Quickly, she continued to dig through the desk in hopes of finding the brooch. Lucy grinned as she found a black box. Her fingers pushed against the pressure of the hinge to open the box, and her eyes settled on the red stone set in a detailed porcelain edging. The stone glowed softly as her fingers traced a soft line over its surface, and it was warm to her touch.

"Hurry up, Luce," Natsu told her, urgency in his voice. "I don't like being pinned in a closed space without an exit."

Lucy snapped her attention back to Natsu, her eyes pulled from the colours of red and black that had started to gentle swirl over the stone's surface. Her hand snapped the box shut, and the sound echoed against the frigid rock walls as she slipped the box into the small leather pouch attached to her belt. She rushed towards him but stopped as her eyes floated to the messy oversized table.

Happy had spent his time looking over the papers on the table while she searched the desk, and he held paper in each of his paws. He looked up at Lucy when her fingers traced a penned line over the map. "I think these are battle plans," he told her in his usual childlike tone. "I think they're going to attack Calluna."

Natsu moved over to the table at hearing Happy's assessment. He picked up a random parchment.

Lucy shook her head. "That's the first one. It looks like they've got plans for the surrounding towns and there's even a battle campaign plan," she muttered. "That's idiotic. I don't think Ichiro has anywhere close to an army to be able to pull such a campaign off. There's barely anyone here. And, they really can't think they can take the Magic Council."

He frowned, his eyes darting to the open office door. "We need to get out of here," Natsu prompted as he rolled up the map with random pieces of paper. "We can figure all of this out later." He handed the plans to Happy. "Don't lose that!"

"Aye!"

The three rushed out of the office, led by Natsu's nose as it led him outside. As they neared the entrance of the cavern, Lucy reached for her keys. "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo!" she called out, key held high into the air, as she kept at Natsu's heels.

The flash of golden light allowed for Loke to appear as his gate opened for him, and he ran alongside Lucy without losing a beat. "How can I be of help, love?" His tie and jacket flew on the wind as he ran. He kept his eyes on her, and his skin prickled with the sensation of the magic that surrounded her. It pulsed against his skin.

Natsu growled loudly at the sight of the lion spirit who ran just at the edge of his peripherals. He forced his thoughts to the smell of open air, though he listened to Lucy and Loke.

"We're probably in for a fight when we reach the entrance of the cave," she said. Lucy was too preoccupied with thoughts of the upcoming fight to see the expressions on her companions' faces. As they turned the corner, her eyes caught sight of sunlight and the silhouettes of several people in the distance.

Loke looked ahead, his eyes catching sight of the silhouettes running towards them. "Don't leave my side, love," he instructed. "I'll keep you safe."

Natsu's hands formed into tight fists as Loke's words reached his ears, and he growled angrily as the first silhouette reached him and changed from a faceless black form to that of a man with a determined expression. Without a thought, he let the anger rage free from his fists, fire blazing with an heat he couldn't contain.

. . . . .

Lucy huffed as she twirled, dragging a heavy body by the end of her whip. With a single flick of her wrist, she sent the body along the rough ground and straight into the hard edge of the cave. She took in a deep breath, allowing the clean open air to replace the damp air that had filled her lungs during their captivity. They had made it to the mouth of the cave, but she and Loke didn't make it past that before they were rushed by Ichiro's men. In the clearing before the cave, Natsu had rushed to take on the fairly large group on his own. Her eyes caught the sight of a pillar of fire erupting from the center of a pile-up, and the flames threw the group off the dragon slayer.

"Lucy! Duck!"

Lucy turned her attention to Loke, who's destructive lighted fist had sent a body flying in her direction. She watched as the massive lump approached her, and she fell to her stomach to avoid getting hit by the body that he had sent her way. The body flew over her, grazing against the strands of her flying hair before it slammed into the body that she had sent to the cave wall. Jumping to her feet, Lucy immediately ran towards Loke. She turned on the balls of her feet quickly when she reached him, her back bumping into his as she prepared for the next wave that she spotted rushing from the cave. She turned her head to meet his eyes, and they nodded in acknowledgment before the group of assailants reached them. They formed a circle around them. She gripped the black with silver detailing handle tightly, allowing her body to send her magic into the whip. Light swirled to length by her feet. "Throw me up!"

Loke turned, crouching to grab Lucy by the feet. He lifted her easily, throwing her high up into the air just as the group of Ichiro's men rushed to close the circle they had formed around them. Lucy twisted into the air, sending the whip around her as she twirled effortlessly. The end of her whip slapped each of the men with a pointed sting on their faces or chests. As they staggered back, Loke gathered his magic into his hand as he mirrored Lucy's flying spin. He screamed as his power flowed with light, "Regulus blast!" The light flowed freely from his hands, blasting the men away as he spun on the balls of his feet.

Lucy landed elegantly, falling to a knee before she stood. She smirked as she saw every single man that once surrounded them was sprawled on the ground, twitching in agony or knocked out cold. She smiled as Loke picked up her hand and kissed the back of her fingers.

"Beautifully done, love," he complimented as he kept his eyes on her. As Loke was about to wrap an arm around Lucy to pull her into an embrace, a body was sent into their direction. Lucy leaped back rapidly, having caught sight of the body in her peripherals, while Loke felt the impact with full force. It sent him sliding roughly on the dusty ground. He stared with annoyance at the pink haired dragon slayer who had sent the body flying into them.

Natsu just smugly smirked before he turned his attention back to the last group of thugs. They rushed him, throwing random punches and kicks in hopes of making contact.

Happy dove into Natsu, quickly picking him up into the air to dodge the attacks. He felt Natsu's body flare with his flames, and his paws let the dragon slayer go into the center of the fray. Natsu fell next to a particularly large thug and grabbed hold of his arm. He pulled the man down while he sent a fist straight into his face, instantly knocking out the goon. Quickly, he used the body as a club to smack the others away from him before releasing the body to fly into the forest. Never losing the flames in his hands, he rushed the ones that stood and sent a fiery fist and kicks into their stomachs. One after another, the assailants fell, creating a messy pile of bodies around him.

Happy landed carefully near a goon. "This one is still awake!" he called out to Natsu. He smirked when Natsu sent the man into unconsciousness with a kick.

The trio looked around as the sounds of groans and pained moans overtook the sounds of the forest. "Any sign of Ichiro?" asked Lucy, her eyes scanning the bodies. Her lips were a thin line of annoyance as she thought back to her short dealing with the man in his office. She wanted a chance to talk to him and find out exactly what he had attempted.

"No," Natsu huffed in annoyance. "I bet he ran off. The coward."

"Well, let's take care of these guys and head back to the mansion," Lucy prompted as she pulled out a golden key. She gently swung her arm overhead before slicing through the air and pointed the key downward, allowing her magic to flow into her key as she called out, "Gate of the Maiden, I open thee. Virgo!"

Her short pink haired maid appeared, shackles around her wrists dangling freely as she appeared in a soft golden flash. "Is it time for my punishment, princess?" Her normally bright blue eyes swirled with an unnoticed darkness.

Lucy ignored the question as she tucked the key back onto her belt. "Please dig a hole large enough and deep enough to contain all of these thugs," she commanded flatly. "Have Loke help you throw all of them into the pit." She ignored the maid as she made her way to Natsu, missing Virgo's bow.

With his arms crossed, the dragon slayer watched Lucy as she approached him. His eyes moved over her body, checking for any serious injuries. Finding none, he met her dark eyes. "We should probably find Ichiro."

She nodded, her eyes lingering on his before she turned to watch Virgo and Loke work. The maiden had made the pit within minutes, and the pair of celestial spirits were roughly throwing bodies into the pit. "Probably," she agreed, "but the mission was for the retrieval of the brooch. Nothing more."

"What about the plans?" asked Happy as he appeared from the forest, the rolled up plans in his paws. He had hidden it in the forest during the skirmish.

"We'll give that to the authorities when we tell them about the pit of thugs," Lucy directed. "That should easily get him on their watch list."

"We still need to find the brooch," Natsu grumbled.

Lucy blinked. "I found it," she told him, realizing that she never had a chance to tell him. "It was in his desk with my keys and whip." Her fingers unsnapped the top of her leather pouch, which was clipped to her belt. Her delicate fingers felt the velvet box and pulled it out to show Natsu. She grinned up at him before she slipped it back into the pouch. Her delicate fingers lingered over the box, magic vibrating under her skin, before she snapped her pouch closed. "So we can head back to the mansion as soon as we get all these guys into the pit."

Natsu nodded and followed Lucy as she went to go help throw the rest of the unconscious into the pit.

Happy watched as the pair walked away from him, a frown on his feline face. He was about to ask Natsu if he thought it was just a little too easy, but his friend had already moved away. His eyes focused on the dragon slayer, who remained close to Lucy as if on guard even though there was no danger to be seen.


	22. Chapter 22

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 22**

Without worry of being spotted by Twilight Force, the team opted to follow the readily made trail from the cave. They suspected it would lead them to the main road, and it meant that the following morning's hike to the mansion would be quick. When the sun had dipped beyond the horizon, the sky's colour had begun its transition into a dark blue, and the waning gibbous moon started to shine brightly, they stopped in a large clearing for the night. A small trail led to a pool created by a gentle short waterfall, which they could see from the clearing by peering over the short bushes that lined the clearing and pool. Natsu had started a fire while Lucy picked berries from the bushes. Happy stepped into the clearing after spending some time at the pool, his paws filled several small fish he was able to catch. He begrudgingly gave two-thirds to Natsu and Lucy, while he happily munched on the rest of his catch.

Lucy watched the fire, feeling the flames heat her skin as she inhaled the flame's comforting scent. With her belly filled with berries and fish, her body finally started to ache from the battle. Sighing, she stood and dusted herself off. "I'm going to wash off at the pool," she told Natsu as she stepped past him, a hand dragging over his shoulder before she disappeared onto the trail. Once she reached the edge of the pool of water, she slipped off her shoes and her tattered clothing. She let a toe slip into the water, and she hissed at the temperature that sent a shocking shiver up her body. Lucy moved quickly into the pool of water, enduring the chill of the water until her body could adjust. Carefully cupping water into her hands, she swept the cool water onto her arms and over her bare chest as she slowly made her way to the gentle flowing waterfall, the warm summer air refreshing her from the chill of the water that surrounded her. She ducked under the water that flowed over the short wall of rocks, the sensation sending goosebumps over her skin. Lucy tilted her head back, allowing the water to flow gently over her face before tilting her head forward to let the water gently massage the ache in her muscles. A sigh escaped her lips as she relaxed, and she moved to sit against the stone wall behind the waterfall.

Her mind wandered, settling on the uncomfortable memory of her interaction with Ichiro in his office. Lucy felt her magic quiver at the memory, flowing erratically through her body. She lifted a hand in front of her eyes, staring at the back of her hand before turning it to look at her palm. Narrowing her eyes, Lucy took a moment to focus on her magic, envisioning the usual steady and gentle flow of golden light that would course through her body whenever she summoned her spirits. The usual tingle of warmth that would envelop her was muted, wrapped by a stronger flow that seemed to meld with what she had always known. Curling her hand into a fist, Lucy felt the energy surge, almost overwhelming the glow of her magic, and tickle her entire body. It sent a wave of pleasure through her, and she released a hot breath mixed with a moan in response. The feeling was intoxicating.

Lucy moved under the waterfall again, allowing the water to comb through her golden hair before she stepped back into the pool of water. Her hands danced over the water as she made her way to the pool's edge, her breasts perking as the warm air kissed her moist skin. When she reached the edge, a golden light appeared before her in a flash. When the light diminished, Loke stood before her with a set of folded clothes, a towel, a small bag, and boots in his hands.

He smiled at the celestial mage, his eyes lingering over her bare breasts before they moved to meet her eyes. "Virgo sends her usual greeting with a request for punishment,"he told her with a smile.

She chuckled. "Perhaps another time," she replied as she took a careful step out of the pool. Lucy stood in front of Loke, her bare skin glistening as the water droplets traced lines down her body. She gathered the towel on top of the clothes in Loke's hands and began drying herself off.

Loke's eyes traveled over Lucy's naked body, and he licked his lips as an almost inaudible growl escaped his throat. Her magic slithered gently around her feet, wrapping him in its grasp. He felt it wrap around his magic, increasing the flow that naturally moved through him. He took in a deep breath, allowing the scent of her fill his nostrils as he felt her power enticingly mingle with his own.

She chuckled softly, ignoring the growl as she draped the towel over his arm. "Any reason you're here, Loke?" Lucy slipped the soft top over her bare chest and adjusted the edges that reached to her navel. Her fingers grabbed the undergarment and skirt, and she slipped into them one leg at a time. She ignored his lustful gaze as she bent down to grab her belt by his feet.

"Just checking in on you, love," Loke replied softly as he dropped his arms when she took the skirt from his hands. He was still holding onto a pair of boots and a small bag in his hands. He draped the towel over his shoulder. "I felt you toying with your magic." He watched as Lucy adjusted her outfit. The black t-shirt was form fitting and had a deep scoop neckline with capped sleeves. A slit was cut in the center of neckline and ended just under her bust, with a button at the top of the neckline to keep the fabric closed to accentuate her cleavage. The pleated red skirt ended dangerously high against her thighs.

Lucy shrugged as she grabbed the towel from his shoulder and started to dry her hair with the fabric before she dropped it to the ground. She ran her fingers through her hair, shaking it to air it out. "I was just checking to see if my magic was okay," she explained, taking a boot into her hands and slipping it over a foot; she repeated the process with the other boot. "When I was in Ichiro's office, he did something to my magic. Almost like he was trying to pull it out of me." She straightened and adjusted the belt with her keys and small leather pouch before grabbing the bag from Loke. She opened it and pulled out two small black bands. Her hands made quick work of forming two pigtails at the nape of her neck.

Loke frowned. "What do you mean?"

She dropped the bag over the old tattered clothes that remained on the ground. "It's all right," she soothed him as she placed a hand on his chest. Her fingers could feel his heart beating under its touch, and she felt his magic swirling under her touch. "My magic is fine. Great, actually," she paused, letting her words linger on the calm night air.

He looked down at her, realizing the distance between them had nearly disappeared. Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"I feel great," she settled on repeating, standing on her tip-toes to kiss her celestial spirit on the cheek. "Thank you for worrying." Lucy gently pushed him away, but she smiled impishly when she found that his embrace kept her firmly pressed against his body. "What do you think you're doing?" Lucy teased, her eyes meeting his with a daring glint.

Loke smiled, feeling her magic swirl around them even more. It flowed through him, and it set his senses on edge. He let a knowing and lustful smile move into his lips. "Something I know you've wanted for a while," he whispered on hot breath as he lowered his face into hers. He heard her laugh softly, but he smiled knowingly when she didn't move away. Loke kept his gaze on her as he lowered his lips to meet hers. The softness of her lips barely registered on his senses before he felt the rough force of a punch knock the air from his lungs. The rush of pain moved through his ribs as he released Lucy from his arms to keep her from tumbling with him, and he stumbled into the pool, tripping over his footing and landed with an ungraceful splash. His eyes snapped to his attacker – pink hair gently flowing in the wind, fists flickering with flames, and eyes narrowed with deadly intention focused on the lion spirit – who had his arm outreached possessively in front of his celestial mage.


	23. Chapter 23

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**NOTE: Updates were delayed due to family visits, but should be fairly back on schedule now that things have settled back down again. Thank you for your patience.**

**CHAPTER 23**

Natsu watched the light of the flames dance over Lucy's body. The light moved over the smoothness of her skin, and the hunger roared with delight at the sight of her. He had grown accustomed to it, and the grating sensation was only satiated during the short battle with Twilight Force. It returned steadily as they trekked back to the mansion, and it flared in the silence of the evening. His eyes followed her as she stood and dusted the tattered skirt that barely clung around her waist. Her voice sang to him as she informed him that she was heading to the pool to wash herself. His body shivered at the lingering touch of her graze on his shoulder, and Natsu's eyes followed her form as it disappeared down the thin trail that led to the pool. He licked his lips in hunger.

"Lucy's acting weird," Happy spoke up softly as soon as he couldn't see Lucy and was sure she was out of earshot. The blue exceed looked to his friend, worry deeply ingrained in his facial expression. His ears were folded in a sad worry. "She's really mean now."

Natsu shifted his gaze to the cat. "She's fine, Happy. I don't think she's acting any differently," he replied.

Happy shook his head in disagreement. "Yes, she is," he insisted. "She's not being Lucy."

He frowned. "Why do you think she's not 'being Lucy'?" he questioned. Natsu's eyes traveled to the trail on which Lucy had taken, his keen sense of hearing picking up on the sound of her body splashing in the water.

The contemplative feline remained silent as he tried to find the words to explain. His memories moved to the Fairy Tail party, to the client meeting, and to their journey towards Twilight Force. The journey towards Twilight Force stood out the most in his memory. He had found it weird that she had taken the lead without much explanation, and she spoke with such a cold tone that it made him shake with fear. The look she gave him whenever he spoke made Happy uncomfortable. There was no real way for him to pinpoint the difference between the Lucy they've always known to the Lucy that was swimming in the pool nearby. It could have easily been fatigue or general grumpiness. After all, she had bantered during their capture. Frustrated, Happy just shook his head. "I don't know how to say it," Happy admitted. "She's mean."

Natsu smirked as he placed a hand on top of Happy's head and petted him roughly. It lacked his usual warmth and gentleness. "You say that whenever she yells at you."

Happy mumbled unhappily as he moved his head from under Natsu's rough petting. He rubbed a paw on his head as he watched Natsu stand and move to the edge of the clearning. The feline frowned, watching his friend from his seat near the fire. He didn't say anything, but Happy noticed a change in the dragon slayer's demeanor as well. It worried him, but just as he was unable to explain the change he noticed in Lucy, he was unable to describe the change in Natsu. Sighing, Happy grabbed a fish from the pile near him and buried himself deep into his thoughts as he ate while watching the fire.

The pink haired wizard turned to glance at Happy, who remained seated by the fire. Noticing that the feline had started eating from the pile of his fish again, Natsu turned his attention back to the pool of water that was just beyond the few bushes that lined the clearing they had claimed as their campsite. The cat would be too preoccupied with his fish to bother him now. His eyes caught sight of Lucy under the small waterfall, as she kept her head bent back to allow the water to flow over her face. The moon shimmered on her body, and he couldn't stop his eyes from traveling over her naked form as her hands traveled over her skin slowly to wash away the dirt that had clung to her.

When she moved past the waterfall to sit against the rocky wall behind the waterfall, his thoughts lingered on Lucy as lustful thoughts invaded his imagination. His tongue moistened his lips again, though he found his mouth dry. A hunger for her flesh took over his senses as he imagined pushing her into that wall as the water cascaded over their bodies – to have her writhe under his touch, to hear her gasp as he took rough bites along her skin, to feel the entirety of her with each deep penetration. The thought alone made him quiver. He could still see her beyond the falling water, but her image was distorted by the water and the moonlight that reflected off the surface. He watched as the distorted image of Lucy brought a hand to her face in observation, and his body tingled at the energy that emanated from her body. He felt a flame warm his chest, and a growl tickled his throat. The sensation filled him, and his eyes remained glued on the woman as his hunger urged his body to move. When he heard her moan, his body moved on its own towards her.

He quietly stepped towards the pool, pushing the bush aside as he created a path in the undergrowth. He stopped and hid behind a tree when a golden light shimmered before Lucy. Loke appeared in its wake, and Natsu could see both clearly from his position in the clearing, his angle allowing to see them facing each other. The dragon slayer's eyes narrowed in annoyance, but he remained in place as he watched the celestial mage stand naked before her spirit. Willing his body to remain in place, he listened as Lucy and Loke talked while Lucy took her time putting on her clothes. When Lucy kissed Loke on the cheek, Natsu frowned and his hands turned into tight fists.

The hunger allowed anger to take over him when he watched Loke wrap his arm around her waist, and he leapt without thinking when he saw the spirit leaning towards the celestial mage's face. He closed in on the lion spirit as his anger swiftly and silently carried him through the short distance. He scowled when Loke's lips brushed ever so slightly with Lucy's before Natsu could reach the pair. Fists still formed, he set a firm blow into Loke's rib cage. Natsu stepped between Loke and Lucy as Lucy turned to watch her spirit fall, reaching out an arm in front of her body as he stared down at the spirit who had been punched with a force that sent him flying into the water. His fists flickered with the life of his fire, and he felt his body grow hot.


	24. Chapter 24

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 24**

Normally he would have gloated, but the sight of Loke's condition did nothing to alleviate the anger that raged through his body. His fists tightened as he continued to glare at the lion spirit who remained in the water as he looked up at the dragon slayer with a temperate level of surprise. "Don't you fucking touch her," he hissed with a low dangerous tone. Natsu's eyes narrowed as the look of astonishment was replaced by a cocky smirk. "Keep your filthy hands off her. I'll be damned if I let some man-whore spirit touch her." The heat that emanated from his body created a small vortex of air around him, sending his black waistcoat floating on the wind.

Loke stood up slowly, water pouring out of the drenched fabric of his suit that had started to cling to his body. He let his eyes focus on Natsu briefly before he let them meet Lucy's eyes. She carried a look of mild interest, a small smile curling just the corner of her lips. When she nodded once, Loke made a show of sighing. "This was one of my favourite suits," he told Natsu, his eyes moving back to the dragon slayer. He kept his anger at bay, allowing indifference to fill his tone as he removed his suit jacket and allowed it to fall unceremoniously into the water with a heavy flop. His hands loosened the tie around his neck and he let it join his jacket. Loke took his time unbuttoning his white button down shirt. While his gaze moving to Lucy as his fingers took their time, he spoke to the aggressor that had struck him, "Lucy belongs to me and the celestial world. You have no right to her." As his soaked dress shirt hit the water, Loke launched his body from the water and straight into Natsu.

Seeing the flash of orange hair on the move, Lucy took a quick and large step back to avoid the fray. She crossed her arms over her chest, her fingers of her top hand gently tapping a beat over the soft skin of her arm. A glint of interest twinkled in her eyes as she tilted her head to the side while she watched.

Natsu grunted as he felt the impact to his chest, the wind knocked from his lungs as Loke's shoulder hit him square in lungs. He fell back onto the soft and moist ground, and lighted fists hit him in quick successions while he was pinned. Growling, he lifted his hand up to capture the lighted fist in his grip. "Fire dragon's iron fist!" he screamed as his free hand became alive with fire as it was sent into an uppercut into the spirit's gut and under his rib cage. It set the half-naked lion off him quickly. Jumping to his feet, he kept his hand on fire while he swiped at his staggering opponent. "She only tolerates you because you're contracted with her!"

Loke jumped back as soon as he found his footing in the water, his feet digging into the mud under the shallow edge of the pool. "You and I know that's not true, Natsu," he replied with a calm tone while his eyes sparkled with dangerous intent behind his glasses. "She likes having me around. You and I both smelled her arousal when I danced with her the other night," he sneered as Natsu growled in anger. Loke's skin glowed with the power of the celestial heavens that rushed through his body, and he felt Lucy's magic intensifying the magic that he gathered into his hands. He leaped forward again as he called out, "Regulus gatling impact!" His fists moved with a furious speed as it came into contact with Natsu's stomach, light beams continued to glow as it impacted against the dragon slayer's muscular abdomen. The force sent the dragon slayer flying.

"Natsu!" screamed Happy as he flew furiously towards the sounds of the battle that made him drop his fish during mid-bite. He lingered in the air by Lucy's side. His face carried a look of confusion and panic as he watched Natsu fly through the air and crash into a line of trees on the far side of the pool, the trees easily pushed from their roots from the force of the blast. He turned to Loke, who stood tall and glowing at the edge of the pool, his orange hair swaying from the power that consumed his body. The blue exceed screamed, "Lucy! What are they doing!?"

Loke didn't wait for Natsu to attack. He ran into the wake of the destruction and started punching and kicking the dragon slayer with lighted fists and feet. He jumped high and landed a sharp blow on top of Natsu's head.

"Oh, don't overreact, Happy," Lucy scolded him with a teasing tone. Her smile grew as she watched her spirit fight her dragon slayer. "They're just rough housing. Just like at the guild." She clasped her hands behind her back and began rocking gently on the balls of her feet.

Natsu pushed back as he turned and sent Loke back towards the pool, running towards him as he moved to the side before Loke could compensate for the change in direction. Over the edge of the water, he slammed his elbow into the back of Loke's head, making it snap forward. When Loke staggered forward, Natsu sent a sharp roundhouse kick into his back. The lion spirit gasped but quickly side-stepped the next attack, instead sweeping low to send the dragon slayer onto his back with a heavy thud.

The cat's mouth dropped as his head snapped back to the struggle that raged before them. When Loke's heel came down onto Natsu's stomach, Happy cried as crimson spurted out of his friend's mouth. "This isn't like a fight at the guild," he cried in pure panic. "We have to stop this!"

Lucy shook her head. "Don't be such a drama cat. They're just playing around. Stop worrying," she chuckled softly with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. "Silly cat."

Happy could only stare at her with his mouth agape. Tears streamed steadily down his cheeks as he watched Natsu capture Loke's foot with his hands and throw the spirit away from him as his entire body became alive with flames. The heat that surged from his body singed the surrounding foliage and the ground buckled under the weight of the power he exerted. The blue exceed caught Natsu looking at Lucy, and he turned to the celestial mage in time to see her bob her head once in acknowledgment, permission, or agreement – he wasn't quite sure. He turned back to see his friend rush towards Loke at a speed he couldn't even comprehend. Flames and flashes of light moved over the pool. Happy could hardly catch sight of their bodies as they continued to move over their battlefield with a speed he'd never seen. The undergrowth and foliage burned with the heat of their attacks as they exchanged blows.

Natsu pinned Loke at the edge of the pool near Lucy and Happy. The water evaporated as his body continued to burn, his skin hardened by the flames. He towered over the battered spirit as his fists continued to slam into Loke's body. The fury of his flamed hands had no aim, instead rampaging over various parts of Loke's face and chest. He continued his barrage as he screamed at the near unconscious spirit below him.

Happy cried as he flew towards Natsu and tried to get his attention. "Natsu! Stop!" he screamed as he tried grabbing his friend's scarf to pull him away. He cried harder when he was swatted away roughly. He lingered in the air just beyond Natsu's reach as tears fell from his cheek and hit the moist ground below. "Natsu! Stop! Stop, Natsu!"

Lucy chuckled softly at Happy as she started walking towards Natsu and Loke. When she reached them, she placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder. Immediately, he stopped his barrage of blows to the celestial spirit's body and stared down at the beaten body that was pinned between his legs. She followed his gaze and stared down at Loke. Unknowingly, she started humming a tune. The melody moved through her closed lips easily.

The dragon slayer staggered to his feet as his ears picked up on the soft melody. A warm calm took over his rage, deafening the anger and hunger that drove his flames. Natsu looked at his abused hands. "I- I- What-," he stuttered.

She raised a brow at his reaction as his magic pushed against her own. "Happy," Lucy called out to the crying exceed. "Go take Natsu to the campsite. I'll be there in a minute." She moved her eyes back to Loke.

Natsu's eyes lingered on Lucy as she kneeled next to Loke. He let the exceed lead him away from the celestial mage and her celestial spirit. His body shook uncontrollably. "Happy," he muttered softly as they reached the edge of their camp. He could barely stand to meet his friend's eyes. "You- You need to get out of here. I need you to get to the guild and get them to send help. Some- something's wrong, and I- I can't-," Natsu couldn't finish his sentence as he fell to his knees. Exhaustion took over quickly as he tried to calm his breathing to push back against the panic that was taking over his body.

Happy landed in front of Natsu. His tears were still wet on his cheeks as he looked towards the pool to see if Lucy was near them. "You have to come with me, Natsu," he pleaded.

"I- I can't," Natsu choked through his hurried breaths. "I need- need to stay and make sure Lucy's safe."

"But, she's-."

Natsu interrupted with a shake of his head. "I- I know. That's why I have to stay," he explained. "You- you have to go. Now." The calm that had snapped him out of his blind anger was starting to fall to the hunger. He felt his body warm as the sultry voice started its seductive promises again. "Go. Now."

Happy's lip quivered as the tears started up again. His wings straightened as he took one last look at Natsu. Without another word, he jumped into the air and cut into the air as he flew as quickly as he could.


	25. Chapter 25

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 25**

Lucy sighed softly as she kneeled next to Loke. Her eyes traveled over his damaged body. He was bruised and scuffed, with deep cuts embedded in his usually pristine skin. His glasses were long gone, and his usually full orange mane fell limply over his head. Soft sparkles of his power, tiny golden flecks, escaped from the cuts that riddled his body and floated towards the night sky. "That was a really pathetic show, Loke," she scolded him gently when her eyes finally met his gaze. He could only see her through one eye, the other completely swollen shut.

"I'm sorry, love," he endeavored to get the words through his bruised lips. He could only manage a strained whisper. Loke turned his gaze to the stars above them.

Shaking her head, she placed a hand on his chin and turned it slowly to force him to look at her. Lucy ignored the hiss of pain. "That was a rather miserable show of love, my dear lion," she told him. "I don't think you get to call me that right now."

Loke struggled with his breaths. "For- Forgive me." He closed his eyes, waiting for his gate to close. He had been waiting since the middle of the battle.

"You can't close your gate until I'm done with you," she explained, feeling his attempts. Her hands moved over his skin as she leaned over his face. She let her magic course through him, tickling the thin flow of magic that moved through him before it pulled at the magic they shared, ripping away the strength he gathered from her. Lucy sighed as he cried out in pain. "I'm so disappointed in you, Loke. You are one of my strongest spirit, and you couldn't defeat a simple little dragon slayer. How can I trust you to protect me? To fight for me?" Lucy made a show of sighing softly as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead with her old gentleness while her magic stopped its attack, causing Loke to settle with a whimper. "No matter," she continued in her usual gentle tone before he could respond, "I'll forgive your weakness for now. But, you'll need to get stronger."

Loke choked on the build-up of saliva on the back of his throat. "Tha- Thank you. I'm so sorry," he struggled as a single tear escaped his shut eye. It trailed, unnoticed by Lucy, down the side of his face and settled on the curve of his ear.

Lucy gently placed her forehead against his, careful to avoid applying any pressure to avoid causing him pain. "Rest up in the spirit world," she instructed. "Don't appear until you are called. I'll call for you."

He sighed with relief as he felt his body enveloped by the soft golden light of his gate, and the power of the celestial world started seeping into his body to give him strength. With his good eye, he caught sight of Lucy before the blinding light took over his vision, her dark eyes glassed over with unidentifiable emotion.

Shaking her head, Lucy stood and wiped her knees clean of the mud that clung to her skin. She turned and moved to the trail that led to the clearing, catching sight of Natsu kneeling at the edge of their campsite. She moved carefully down the trail with a small smile on her lips. Carefully, she leaned over his shoulder on one side and placed a hand on each of his shoulders as she looked at his face. She frowned when he didn't turn to look at her. "Oh Natsu," she soothed with feigned worry, "you're a mess. Come on, let's clean you up." Her voice was soft, dripping with concern that didn't reach her eyes.

When he didn't move, she bent over his shoulder as she let her hand graze gently over the roughness of his skin to his hand. Lucy couldn't hold back a smile when he heard him gasp as her chest pushed against the side of his head with her movement. She allowed her magic to wrap around them as she straightened and pulled at his hand. Patiently, Lucy waited as he stood and shuffled behind her, allowing her to pull him back towards the pool. Her free hand touched Virgo's key and she called out to her spirit with a soft whisper as they slowly made their way to the pool of water. "Please provide a towel, some bandages, and a change of clothes for Natsu," she directed to the spirit when she appeared. Lucy watched as Virgo disappeared, noting the look of anger the spirit directed at the dragon slayer.

They walked hand-in-hand in silence until they reached the edge of the water. The surrounding undergrowth were burnt and torn from its roots and the mud under their feet was still warm from the heat of the battle. When they reached the large formations near the gentle flow of water, her eyes caught sight of the small pile of items near the edge. With painstaking care, she helped Natsu sit on a large flat rock nearest the waterfall.

He watched as Lucy took a small rag, wet the fabric under the waterfall, and began to wipe his skin clean of his own blood. The splatter of water stuck to her skin and made her clothes cling to her body as fabric got wet. Natsu growled at the sight of her and his hands snapped to grasp at her wrist. His grip bruised her skin, and he shook as he tried to control the hunger that overtook his senses yet again. "You need to go," he intensely told her as he battled himself to maintain control.

Lucy raised a brow and stared down at the hand that kept a hot hold of her. "Don't be stupid, Natsu," she chided, "I've got to tend to your wounds."

"I can do that without you," he hissed angrily at her. Natsu kept his gaze low, purposely avoiding her eyes. The hunger raged against his body, and he felt his skin warm with the thought of her. His eyes caught the sight of water droplets on her ankles, and it forced his gaze to move up the gentle slopes of her legs. Water clung to her smooth legs, and Natsu could only imagine running his fingers up the inside of her leg with his tongue following after his touch. He bit the back of his bottom lip, the taste of blood swirling on his tastebuds as his senses flared with her proximity to his body. "You need to go," he told her. His voice cracked as he fought against his own senses. "I need you to go."

She chuckled softly at his words and her magic flared with delight as it began to chip away at his control. Shaking her head at him, Lucy placed her free hand on Natsu's hand and gently pried his fingers away from her wrist. "Don't be ridiculous, Natsu," she told him as she kneeled before him. Carefully, she placed her hand under his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. Her eyes swirled with a dark twinkle as the corners of her mouth moved up into a well-hidden sinister curl as she felt his magic quiver against her advances. "Let me take care of you, you idiot."

Natsu fell into the spell of her gaze, and the hunger overtook his control as he plunged deep into the sensations that overpowered his senses. He growled as his thoughts lingered on the feel of her touch on his warm skin. The scent of her surrounded him and tickled him as her magic pulsed against his. It wrapped itself around the rapid current of his inner strength, making him feel drunk with the extra surge of her own strength.

"It's okay, Natsu," Lucy soothed as she moved the wet wash cloth up his bare chest and to his neck. "You should just let go." Her hands moved slowly over the open wounds on his chest, her eyes moving over the severity of his wounds. "Loke really did a number on you," she muttered softly, her tone hiding the approval she felt for her spirit's strength despite his failure.

Natsu huffed as he kept his intense gaze focused on her, though he found himself unable to read her eyes as easily as he could in the past. "This is nothing. I easily kicked his ass," he grunted with gruff satisfaction. Silence filled the void between them, and his eyes flickered to the waterfall as she moved the washcloth under the flowing water. He watching as she squeezed the blood from the washcloth, red diluted by cold water. He hissed when she moved the cold damp cloth onto an open wound.

Lucy laughed softly. "That you did," she agreed.

He stared down into her eyes when she stopped her movements to stare up at him. Though he said nothing, the word "mine" repeated in his head to the beat of his heart. His hands moved to the top of her arms as he pulled her closer to his body, forcing her chest to press against his, and he took in a deep breath to fill his lungs with her earthly scent. His eyes floated to her lips, and he licked his own as he leaned forward. How easy it would be to claim them, to suck and to nibble, with his kisses. The hunger gleamed in delight as he neared her face. Natsu smiled when she didn't struggle against his hold. "The jackass deserved it," he muttered, his eyes never leaving her mouth.

"Oh?" Lucy replied in a heated whisper. She licked her lips and smiled as Natsu neared her face.

He bobbed his head in a shallow nod as he nearly brushed against the softness of Lucy's lips. "He tried to take something that is clearly mine," he whispered with a deep growl. His skin chilled as her magic swirled around them. It carried her intoxicating scent. As it filled his lungs, his magic ravaged against the constraints of his control. Natsu could sense the crack in his control expanding, and he couldn't fight against the pull of her.

Lucy laughed coyly but didn't pull away. "I belong to no one," she replied in the same breathy whisper, knowing his keen dragon slayer ears would hear her clearly. She felt her magic gleam with delight as Natsu's fire seeped between the cracks of his control to mingle with her own. It tickled her core, sending waves of warmth that flowed through her veins. The air around them turned hot, evaporating the water that splashed off the rocks around them.

As he neared, the rustling of the trees nearby stopped him. Natsu snapped his head up and his eyes narrowed as as three figured burst into view. "What are you doing here?!" he exclaimed with annoyance and surprise, the hunger roaring in anger at the interruption. He found it difficult to hide the contempt in his voice.

Lucy turned her head. "Erza? Gray?" she called out in surprise. Her eyes settled on the blue exceed that flew between them and they narrowed slightly at the sight of him. "Happy." She fought against the frown that wanted to make its way into her lips. She had thought the exceed was by the campfire, and the voice in her head chided her for her mistake.

The blue feline landed close to Erza's feet. "Natsu!" he cried out with tears on his eyes. "I brought help like you said!"

Lucy briefly caught Natsu's gaze, and she shared her disappointment with him through her eyes. She regarded him carefully. The voice in her head told her that he wasn't quite ready to be claimed as hers, but he was dangerously close to teetering over the edge. If only they hadn't been interrupted – no matter, she would only need to push a little harder to break the wall that protected him. The voice told her to be patient. She wiped the look away from her gaze before returning her attention to the three who were walking towards them. She stood and wiped her knees free of mud. "What are you talking about, Happy?"

Happy ignored her, flying straight to Natsu and landed carefully on his lap as he hugged his friend's abdomen.

Natsu frowned, not bothering to look down at Happy. Instead, he stood abruptly and allowed the exceed to tumble to the ground with a hard thump. He ignored the exceed's soft call of his name. Crossing his arms, he stood close to Lucy as he let his body temperature rise, annoyance bubbling just under the surface of emotions. He stared at Erza and Gray with a flat expression. "What are you doing here?"

Erza's and Gray's eyes met before they turned to the other half of their team. "We were camping nearby after finishing a mission," replied Gray, "Happy came barreling through the forest. He stumbled on our camp and said that you were in trouble. We followed him here." His eyes lingered on Lucy.

"What happened to you, Natsu?" Erza asked, her eyes floating over the wounds that riddled his body.

He shrugged. "Loke and I were having a training skirmish," he lied as his eyes settled on the exceed that had settled on floating near Erza's head. "Happy got scared and thought it was worse than it really was." Natsu's eyes narrowed on Happy.

Happy frowned. "But, it didn't look like training and Natsu told me to go get help and-"

Lucy forced a laugh to interrupt him. "Don't be stupid, cat," she teased him with controlled malice as she turned her attention back to Erza and Gray. "Why would Natsu and Loke fight for real?" She shrugged indifferently and waved to them. "Well, you two should stick around since you're here. We're finishing up the client's request tomorrow before we head back home."

Natsu stared at the three, his eyes black of its usual cheerfulness, before he turned to follow Lucy. He kept close to her, matching her steps as they walked along the pool towards the trail that led to their camp. Grumbling, he steadied his breath. The voice in his head kept him at a deadly calm. Keeping close to Lucy, her magic directed him to ease the fire that heated his skin and wanted to spark his palms into deadly flames.


	26. Chapter 26

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Note: Perspective exercise.**

**CHAPTER 26**

"Do you really think something's going on with Lucy?"

Erza threw another log into their fire as she thought through her answer. "There must be if Master sent us after her; though, he wasn't the first one to note a change in her behaviour," the redhead replied after a minute of silence. "Levy mentioned something about Lucy being 'different' at the party."

Gray nodded as he watched the log crackled as the fire began to burn the bark. "She definitely wasn't her usual self at the party," he admitted.

"According to Mira, Lucy's magic has changed somehow. She wasn't really able to describe it, but she thinks it's enough to affect her behaviour and Natsu's apparently."

"Do you think that's even possible?"

She closed her eyes as she tried to answer. Finding none, she shook her head. "I don't know," Erza admitted. "But, they're our friends and our family. We need to make sure they're safe."

Before Gray could answer, the sound of breaking branches made his ears perk and his body tense. He snapped his attention up to the edge of their camp when a blur of blue flew over and past them. He felt the wind follow in its wake as it disappeared behind him. "Was that who I think it was?" he asked, urgency moving into his voice as he jumped to his feet and turned. His eyes searched the darkness of the forest in hopes of catching sight of blue.

Erza had also jumped to her feet, her armour clanging with the suddenness of her movement. "It couldn't have been anyone else," she replied. Just as she was about to move to chase after the blur, the blue exceed flew back into their camp and crash landed by Gray's feet. She moved around the fire as Gray kneeled down to help the feline as the dust settled around him.

"Erza?! Gray?! It really was you!" Happy exclaimed. His voice was riddled with happiness at the sight of the two mages. He jumped to his feet and panic took over his body. Waving his arms frantically, he tried desperately to get his mouth to catch up to the fury of words that filled his mind. "Whatareyoudoinghere?Doesn'tmatter!Heneedsyourhelp!She'smeanandweird!They'refightingandshewon'tstopthem!Youhavetostopthembeforetheykilleachother!"

Gray and Erza frowned, barely about to keep up with the words that slipped from Happy's mouth. "Slow down, Happy. I don't understand a single thing you're saying," directed the redhead firmly.

Happy huffed and cried as he forced himself to slow down. "Natsu and Loke are fighting. Lucy won't stop them," he explained. Tears fell as the panic made his heart race. "You have to stop them and help Natsu!" His wings snapped open and he lifted into the air as he started moving towards the edge of their camp.

They followed, running after Happy as he led them to their camp. "Lucy's been so weird lately. She's been mean, and-."

"We understand," Erza replied as she ran behind him. "That's why we're here. Master sent us to watch for any signs of trouble. We lost your trail last night when you ventured off the trail and into the undergrowth suddenly."

Happy continued to fly, angry that he couldn't fly faster for fear of losing the two humans behind him. "Lucy did that. She just suddenly went off the trail and didn't explain. Maybe she knew you were following us."

"We don't know what's going on with Lucy, but we'll find out." Gray kept pace, jumping over a root that broke the ground.

"It's not just Lucy," Happy cried as he dodged a low hanging branch. "Natsu's also being weird." After twenty minutes, the sounds of falling water filled the air and Happy began to fly faster. Erza and Gray ran faster to close the gap. They jumped over the undergrowth and found themselves near a waterfall and pool. Lucy and Natsu were seated under the waterfall, his hands firmly gripping the top of her arms while she was pressed close to his chest. The celestial mage and dragon slayer carried the same look of shock and annoyance.

Lucy was the first to speak, her voice unable to hide her surprise as they called out to them. "Erza? Gray? Happy."

Gray noted the quick spark of anger and hatred that flashed through Lucy's eyes as it settled on the blue exceed. He couldn't help but frown. While Lucy may not have always been pleased with Happy, she never seemed to carry any hatred for the dragon slayer's feline friend.

"Natsu!" Happy cried out. He felt relief taking over his heart at the sight of Natsu. "I brought help like you said!"

Erza and Gray shared a look when they caught Lucy snapping her attention back to Natsu at Happy's words. Their mouths formed a thin line as Lucy stood and cleaned her knees. They kept silent, opting to watch the interaction. Both mages kept their magic bubbling under the surface, uneasiness making them feel on edge.

"What are you talking about Happy?" Lucy's voice dripped with untold emotion.

Ignoring Lucy, Happy flew straight towards Natsu, cutting between the celestial spirit summoner and the dragon slayer as he landed on his friend's lap. Gingerly, he wrapped his paws around his friend's abdomen. Relief filled his body. Natsu was safe. He had brought help, and now Natsu was safe. The freedom from his panic was short lived when he quickly realized that his friend wasn't hugging him back, and confusion quickly took over when Happy found himself tumbling to the wet ground. "Natsu," he softly managed through a surprised sob. The exceed looked up at the dragon slayer and found none of the usual softness in the man's eyes. He noticed the tense stance Natsu took as he stood next to Lucy, his eyes cold as he addressed the human mages that Happy had led to the pool.

"What are you doing here?" he asked flatly.

Gray's eyes flickered to meet Erza's briefly before he willed his body to look calm. "We were camping nearby after finishing a mission," he lied. Silently, he hoped that he didn't give away any signs of his deception. "Happy came barreling through the forest. He stumbled on our camp and said that you were in trouble. We followed him here." Gray let his focus linger on Lucy. The usual warmth and glow that surrounded her was gone, and he felt her magic swirl around her. It was a strange combination of an eerie chill and an intense heat.

Erza scanned the surrounding area. The ground was scorched, leaving no life in the wake of the battle that Happy had reported. Her eyes settled onto Natsu's body, taking note of the number of deep cuts and deep soon-to-be bruises that damaged his flesh. His clothes were tattered from what could only be an intense fight. "What happened to you, Natsu?" She waited, her mind ready to process his words.

"Loke and I were having a training skirmish," he replied. "Happy got scared and thought it was worse than it really was."

She noted how easily the lie slipped his lips, and Erza turned to catch Happy's sad expression.

Happy frowned at his friend's words, and he felt the sting of his betrayal. He had gone to get help, just like Natsu had asked him to do! He looked at Erza and Gray as he tried to explain, his tone in clear defense. "But, it didn't look like training and Natsu told me to go get help and-," the words flowed easily, but he never finished because Lucy interrupted him with a snap.

"Don't be stupid, cat."

The exceed recoiled at her tone and watched as Lucy turned her back towards them. His eyes fell onto Natsu, who kept his arms firmly crossed over his chest. Happy's lips quivered as he tried to hold back his sobs.

"Why would Natsu and Loke fight for real?" Lucy shrugged, letting apathy take over her body's movements as she waved a hand dismissively in their direction. "Well, you two should stick around since you're here. We're finishing up the client's request tomorrow before we head home."

The three stared back at Natsu, who kept a hard gaze directed at them before he turned to follow Lucy.

Happy frowned and allowed his wings to lower him to the ground. Tears flowed easily from his eyes as his hurt emotions got the best of him. He waited until Lucy and Natsu were out of the dragon slayer's excellent hearing range. "I'm not stupid," he sniffled in defense of himself. "They were fighting for real, and Lucy didn't stop them." He looked up and met Erza's and Gray's warm and comforting gaze.

"We believe you," she told him softly. "We'll find out what's going on with those two," Erza paused as she lifted her gaze back to her two friends before adding, "especially Lucy." Concern took over her thoughts as she turned to Gray, who could only bob his head once in agreement. The three turned their attention back to their two friends, uncertain of where to even begin. They noted how the dragon slayer kept close to the celestial mage. While it wasn't uncommon, the manner in which Lucy and Natsu carried themselves gave the three a distinct impression of a queen being possessively guarded by a dragon.


	27. Chapter 27

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Author's Notes: Thank you for your patience. You'll also notice the user name change.**

**CHAPTER 27**

Lucy released an irritated breath as she tapped the armrest of the chair. "I feel like we've already done this," she muttered under her breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Her growing impatience fueled the annoyance that easily bubbled into her tone and mannerisms.

Natsu glanced back at the grandfather clock behind him. "He certainly likes making us wait," he responded flatly. "It's been an hour." He stood behind Lucy, his arms crossed over his chest while one hand carried a long roll of parchment.

Happy remained on Gray's shoulder, unable to bring himself to be near Natsu or Lucy after the previous night's events. He purposely remained quiet, but he kept careful watch over his two closest friends.

Lucy stood up and stared at the dragon slayer with a dull look in her eyes. Ignoring Erza and Gray, who stood next to Natsu, she addressed the pink haired mage, "At this rate, I'm about ready to claim the brooch as payment." She patted the small pouch that hung securely on her belt. The magic that swirled around the brooch seeped from the box and pouch, delightfully grazing against her touch.

Erza raised a brow at the celestial mage. "That would be unethical, Lucy," she responded sternly.

Lucy only shrugged with disinterest at Erza's condemnation and was about to respond when the office doors burst open. Her eyes settled on Kurai as he sauntered into the room with long carefree strides. She let her lips form a thin line as he approached her, and she bit her tongue from sharing her displeasure with him. Though, Lucy smirked when she heard the not-so-silent huff and saw the short puff of smoke that escaped from her dragon slayer at the sight of their client.

"Were you able to retrieve the brooch?" he asked excitedly. Kurai reached Lucy quickly, and he stood dangerously close to the celestial mage. Ignoring the looks from the rest of the group, Kurai watched as Lucy nodded. His eyes floated to her fingers as she unsnapped the top of the small pouch that hung from the belt around her waist. He took the box from her slender fingers. "Excellent," he muttered mostly to himself. Kurai opened the box, allowing his index finger to softly graze against the cool surface of the red stone. The dark colours swirled rapidly, and he grinned knowingly at the sight of it. Quickly, he snapped the box shut and stared at Lucy. "You made it back in time for tonight's party. I'm impressed."

She shrugged apathetically as she reported, "They didn't give us much of a fight." Lucy looked to Natsu, who carried the rolled parchment that contained the map and whatever paperwork they were able to take with them during their escape.

Keeping his arms crossed, Natsu tapped the roll against the top of his arm when Kurai followed Lucy's gaze. "Your brother has some twisted plans though, so we're going to be reporting this to the Magic Council and the Royal Army. You may have to answer some questions later." His tone matching Lucy's indifference. "We have the lot of them trapped in a pit by that pathetic base of theirs, but your brother escaped," he explained, though he added very softly under his breath, "the coward."

Kurai eyed the parchment carefully before he turned his attention back to Lucy. As if suddenly realizing that her group had grown, his eyes floated to Erza and Gray. "Did you need reinforcements?"

Lucy shook her head. "They were nearby for another mission and we happened to bump into each other," she explained. With a wave of her hand, she motioned to the two who stood next to Natsu to introduce them, "Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster."

Kurai nodded his head in acknowledgment when the newcomers did the same. He paused, thoughts moving rapidly through his brain. Shaking away the frown that had appeared on his lips, Kurai returned his focus on Lucy. "Well, I'll have my butler supply your payment," he informed her. "It's too late to start the trek back to town, so I insist you," he paused, glancing quickly at the group before adding, "and your group stay overnight. You may even attend the party, if you'd like. Consider it a bonus for your hard work."

It was then that Erza spoke, her face void of expression and her tone flat with forced politeness "We appreciate your hospitality, though I doubt we have the proper attire." She met Lucy's annoyed gaze with a raised brow. Not once had she seen the celestial mage keep such a pointed gaze in her direction, and it only solidified her intention to get the woman back to the guild.

He shook his head as he moved to exit his office, the box firmly gripped in his hand. "I'll make sure you get the necessary garments," he responded. "I'll have your rooms prepared. Just wait here." Kurai disappeared before anyone could respond.

. . . . .

Erza, Gray, and Happy gathered in Erza's room. Gray stood on guard by the window, his eyes floating down to the guests who were making their way into the mansion. "I don't have a good feeling about this," he told the two. His piercing eyes scanned the crowds for anyone suspicious. While the exchange between Lucy and Kurai had been rather innocent, there was something about the whole conversation that didn't sit well with him. Perhaps it was how close Kurai stood to Lucy or perhaps it was the cold and detached manner in which Lucy spoke to a client, Gray had absolutely no way of knowing with his memory of the conversation fading. He did know that his instincts told him something wasn't quite right and that they were dangerously close to trouble.

Happy nodded as he adjusted the black bow tie around his neck. He pulled at the tension that wrapped around his neck. "I want to go home," he whined softly. He tugged on the small tuxedo jacket, allowing the fabric to settle over his shoulders.

Erza smoothed the red gown that clung to her skin. "I understand your desire to return home, Happy," she soothed despite her stern tone, "but we must follow Master's instructions. We are to stay close to Lucy and Natsu." Her eyes met Gray's, and they shared the same look of worry. It would be in everyone's benefit to return back to the guild immediately, but somehow they knew that rousing Lucy's suspicions would spell trouble. They needed to get the dragon slayer and the celestial mage back to the guild without the two knowing they were under stringent observation. It bothered her – treating her beloved friends like possible criminals. Sighing, she joined Gray by the window. Her eyes fell to the many attendees. She tried to assuage the worry that whispered in her mind. With so many in attendance and with the danger of their mission behind them, it would be difficult for any real trouble to occur. At least, that's what she tried to tell herself but experience told her otherwise.

. . . . .

Lucy lingered by the window, her delicate fingers gently rolling the dark ruby stud earring that she wore. Her eyes focused on the various guests that stepped out of the carriages, watching as escorts offered their hands to the women they accompanied. The gowns were just as she always remembered them, elaborate and heavy with extravagance. Her eyes fell on one particularly svelte brunette who was assisted out of the carriage. Lucy watched as the young woman clung to her escort's outreached hand, feigning a stumble so that he could catch her. The two shared a forbidden lust-filled look that could be easily missed, but the celestial mage had caught it. A small sinister smirk appeared on the corner of her lips as her eyes moved from the brunette and her escort to the line of carriages that awaited to be drawn to the mansion's door. There were just too many fools in this old world of wealth and privilege, and Lucy felt a surge of hatred warming her body. How wonderful it would be to turn all of it to ash. She chuckled. Perhaps she would let Natsu get a little riled up this evening. It would certainly be far less boring if he was able to singe a hemline or toupée or two.

She glanced around her room, which was grand by even her standards. Her eyes watched as one of the maids finished lighting the last of the wall lacrimas. A knock on her door took her out of her wandering thoughts, and her voice carried gently through the large space of her room. "Enter."

The door pushed open, and Kurai appeared, leaving the door ajar behind him. His eyes lingered on Lucy, drifting over the curves of her body as the corners of his mouth moved into a smile. Without glancing at the maid, he commanded her to leave. He caught the low bow of acknowledgement and respect from his peripheral vision and waited until he heard the door close behind him. With steady strides, he moved towards the blonde, her form never moving from the large window. "Are your accommodations to your satisfaction?" He stopped, barely an arm's length away from her. He noted with hunger in his eyes that the celestial mage had declined the gowns he had sent up to her room.

As with situations that required more formal wear, Lucy had opted to call Virgo for her assistance. It only took one look at the extravagantly frilled ball gown for the celestial mage to call out the pink haired masochistic maid. The blood red gown was fitted to her body, hugging the curves of her chest before it flowed out at her hips. The asymmetrical neckline kept one shoulder bare. The flow of the skirt would swirl with her steps as the hem dusted the floor, and her right leg would peek through the deep slit, which was well hidden while she remained still, that ran from hem to hip as she walked. As with most fabric from the celestial world, the dress shimmered and reflected the light. She wore no jewelry save for the pair of ruby red earrings. Lucy's hair was curled and left down to frame her thin face, and she had kept her make-up minimal, with only the shimmer of a deep red shade on her lips.

Kurai had no idea where she had stashed such a gown or why she had such a gown in her possession while on an acquisition mission, but the sight of her had his mouth watering. He cleared his throat, adjusting the tie of his tuxedo.

"It's a nice enough room," she responded flatly and with a condescension she didn't recognize. She tilted her head a little to side as she regarded the man before her. Lucy mildly noted his proximity, though she felt little to no embarrassment. She could feel his breath as he towered over her and felt a surge of coldness despite the heat of his breath. She closed her eyes as the chill caused goosebumps on her skin.

He chuckled softly at her answer, placing fingers under her chin and lifting it to force her head back gently. His smile never faltered as he pulled at the magic within him. Kurai watched as her eyes fluttered open slowly, and he caught the slight flicker of emotion at his touch, though it disappeared almost instantly to leave her eyes void and dark. Slowly, he let the shadows spill from his fingers as he pulsed his magic to wrap around her. The shadows moved slowly, wrapping around her and slipping through the fabric to linger against her skin before diving deep through her. He felt the warmth of her magic and he let his magic pulse through her to entice it to mingle with his. When Lucy began to lean towards him, Kurai let his thumb gentle stroke a soft line on her jawline. "So very close, my sweet," he muttered softly as he leaned towards her parted lips. "So very close." Slowly, he pulled his magic away from her and took a step back. His eyes never left her, watching intently to gauge her reactions as she regained her senses.

Lucy blinked, and her vision cleared slightly. Shaking her head slightly, she shook the sense of queasiness that seemed to overwhelm her suddenly.

Kurai cleared his throat and forced a kind smile onto his lips. "I wanted to thank you for your assistance today. I thought perhaps you would be lacking on jewelry and wanted to offer one of my family's heirlooms for your use for the evening," he explained. He pulled a thin rectangular box from the inside of his tuxedo jacket and gently opened the velvet box.

She smiled instantly, reaching out to touch the red stone set on a black lace choker. It pulsed against her fingertips and it seemed to hum an intoxicating melody that called to her. Lucy watched as the stone's surface seemed to swirl under her touch. So many times she had denied such gifts from clients, although she always silently wanted to accept such tokens of gratitude. A soft warm whisper of a voice told her to decline, but the pulse that moved steadily from the stone through her fingers drowned her in silence until a coldness blinded her senses. Her magic pulsed to match the sensations that left her fingers tingling. Whatever hesitation she had was quickly silenced.

"Obviously, I would require this back at the end of the evening, but I would rather a beautiful woman wear it than have it sit in the vault." He removed the choker, handed her the closed box, and watched as she turned her back to him. He held each end in his hands and reached over her head to place the choker around her neck. He let his fingertips brush against her skin as he clasped the lace tight around her neck. Leaving a finger on the back of her neck, Kurai sent a surge of his magic onto the clasp and watched as a seal appeared and vanished quickly. His hands traveled along her bare shoulders before he released her from his grasp. "There." A smile appeared on his lips as she turned and stared at him silently. "Just as I thought. It looks exquisite on you." Kurai's smile only grew as she remained silent, her fingers gently stroking the stone that sat against her throat. "I shall take my leave of you then. You will save me a dance," he commanded simply.

Lucy could only nod, her fingers lingering on the surface of the stone. She could have sworn she felt it drumming a steady beat and that her heart began to beat in synchronization. The drumming kept her alert, and her skin tingled as her magic picked up the surge of warmth that approached. She turned her head towards her room doors. "He has arrived," she uttered softly.

Kurai turned in time to hear the hard and commanding knock that echoed against the walls of her room. "So he has," he responded, and he found it difficult to contain the glee that wanted to burst out in a maniacal laugh as the door swung open to reveal a stern looking tuxedo-clad Natsu. Kurai felt a momentary flash of fear course through his limbs as he felt the temperature in the room rise with the mage's entrance, but it was quickly abated when he heard Lucy speak and watched as the dragon slayer's heat began to cool at the sound of her voice.

"Natsu, you're to wait until I tell you to enter," she chided as she moved away from Kurai and approached her pink haired partner. Carefully she placed her hands on the lapel of his jacket and began to pick at the imaginary loose strands of thread.

Natsu stared at Kurai, his eyes narrowing as the man moved quietly out of the room. He caught the look of bemusement that flashed through Kurai's eyes, but before Natsu could think on it, the man closed the door behind him.

"You look very handsome, Natsu."

Her voice pulled him away from his thoughts, and the dragon slayer brought his eyes down to meet her gaze. Natsu nodded his acceptance of her compliment, air caught in his lungs as he relished in their proximity. Her eyes seemed even darker than the last time he saw her only hours ago, and they pulled at him. "You look good, too," he grumbled.

Lucy laughed. "Are you grumpy?" She laughed when he gruffly grumbled his negation to her question. She stepped closer towards him, closing the gap between them. Lucy felt his arms wrap around her, his fingertips stroking heated lines through the fabric of her dress. It made her shiver, and he tightened his hold around her body. She felt the surge of his magic, the flair of warm that easily radiated from his body, and it wrapped around her in a possessive blanket of heat. She buried her head to hide the smirk that curled her lips. Lucy kept her voice low, but she knew Natsu could hear. "Don't worry," she told him. "I have a feeling it'll be over soon, and then we're going to have a lot of fun."


	28. Chapter 28

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Author's Notes: Thank you very much for the reviews, follows, and favourites. I apologize for the delay.**

**CHAPTER 28**

Lucy inhaled deeply as she stared up at the night sky and traced the invisible lines between constellation points, her fingers drumming lightly on the stone bench beneath her. For the briefest of moments, the joyous sounds from the ballroom disappeared into the warm summer air. It allowed her the reprieve for which she was searching. The echoes of the vapid giggling of shallow women and the empty compliments of men were nothing more than a murmur as a light breeze moved through the garden. She resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose, the headache that had become an ever present sensation continued to drum a steady rhythm against her temples. Taking a breath, she was glad to be away from the crowds. Dealing with the vacuous chittering of Kurai's guests was proving to be more of an annoyance than she had originally anticipated. She laughed aloud as she muttered into empty garden, "I should call out Virgo and Taurus to demolish this pathetic excuse of a mansion. That should get me some peace and quiet." Her keys warmed at her words, and she chuckled as she moved a hand to the leather garter belt that secured her keys around her upper thigh. She soothed the thoughts of her spirits with her touch.

Turning her head towards the ballroom, she watched a dark silhouette approached her. The spikes of his hair made it easy to recognize him before he even reached her. Lucy smirked to herself. Natsu had been throwing glares and low growls at the men who dared to approach her. It didn't take long for most of the guests to keep a respectable distance from her, unless she was near Kurai. The thought made her smile grow; it was nice having her own personal dragon. When he reached her, Lucy motioned to the seat beside her. "Join me?" she offered.

Natsu lowered himself into the empty seat beside her, the warmth of his magic increasing the temperature of the air around him. The tips of his pinky finger lightly brushed on her own before he hesitantly shifted his hand away to leave space between them. Satisfied with the stolen touch, Lucy leaned her head on his shoulder. "Enjoying yourself, Natsu?" She chuckled at the dissatisfied grunt he threw her way. She allowed a beat of silence before her voice took a serious tone. "Erza and Gray are up to something," she told him with an eerie calm. Her voice was low so that only he could hear and her voice couldn't be carried on the warm summer breeze.

"I know," Natsu responded as he moved an arm to rest behind her. He leaned against it, allow his weight to push against her. The need to touch her pulsed steadily through him, easing the unsteady feeling that had him on edge. The steady whisper of his need only steadily increased his irritation. "Gray's hanging out on the patio. The ice prick is just watching us."

"Not very stealthy, is he?" Lucy chuckled as she lifted her head to follow Natsu's gaze and turned her attention to Gray's silhouette. The man was partially hidden by the pillar on which he leaned, and she could barely make out the expression on his face. The lights of the ballroom shaded what she assumed was a pathetic look of concern that he, Erza, and Happy had been wearing since they reunited their little team. The whole thing grated at her, and Lucy wanted to do nothing more than rid herself of them.

As if he could hear her innermost thoughts, Natsu whispered in a heated harsh tone, "I can remove him, if you'd like." He hoped she would allow it; he was itching to fight. His eyes fell to the blonde next to him. His heart thumped steadily against his chest at the sight of her. He felt the strong pull towards her, his magic flaring whenever he was near her body. It stroke the fire within him, sending oxygen to the flames to make them roar with power that he couldn't control. It was taking considerable energy and effort to keep himself rooted. The effort was wearing him out, adding reason to the growing causes to his irritation. Despite it, Natsu couldn't pull away.

Shaking her head, Lucy turned her attention back to Natsu. Her eyes darkened. "Nope," she said as she popped the last syllable. Slowly, she lifted herself to stand before him and trap his legs between her own. A sly smile slithered onto her lips as she lowered to straddle him, throwing each leg over the backless stone bench to wrap around him. The fabric of her gown fell aside at the slit to reveal her slender leg. Her hands moved smoothly over the lapel of his tuxedo jacket to the side of his neck as she drew tiny circles with her finger against his skin. She laughed softly as she felt him shudder under her touch. "Let them think we don't know they're watching us," she whispered softly as she leaned her face closer to his. She let the warmth of her breath tickle his skin. "If they're so intent on watching us Natsu, maybe we should give them something to watch."

Natsu swallowed the small pool of saliva that suddenly appear in his mouth. His eyes flickered to her lips as Lucy let her tongue drag along the surface ever so slowly. He felt himself lengthen and harden as her core pressed against him. He groaned softly at the warmth that radiated from her core. The hunger eased with her proximity, and the anxiousness that wrecked his body silenced at her touch. His mind fogged, silencing the hesitation that tried to bubble to the surface "Lucy, I-," he struggled as his hands rested on her knees and began their slow movement towards her hips. He could barely suppress another groan as his fingers gently lingered over the softness of her skin. Her scent, the sweet happiness of her and a new mixture of earthly delights, filled his senses. His eyes flickered to the hazy and heated stare she maintained before they fell back to her lips. Natsu clenched his jaw as Lucy bit her lower lip before parting her mouth to release a heated breath. He failed to notice the stone on the lace choker around her neck swirl alive, red bleeding into the dark stone until it turned black. Natsu felt a pulse of magic wrap around him. He fought hard to contain the flames that wanted to erupt. He wanted to combust.

"You know, I've been thinking lately," Lucy began softly as she leaned forward and inhaled deeply. "I don't know what it is, but I'm so fucking tired of playing it safe." She pushed her chest into his and relished in the heat that rolled easily from his body. It easily stilled the breeze that tried to reach them. She watched as his eyes glazed over at her touch, her hands moving smoothly over the fabric that covered his chest. "Of being good," she continued as her voice turned husky. Her skin tingled at the swell of magic power that surrounded her. "Of doing what's proper." Lucy leaned in. "Aren't you tired of the same thing, Natsu?" Don't you ever want to just let go and let your desires consume you?" Her lips grazed over his slightly in the lightest version of a kiss. "I want to watch your fires burn everything to ash." Before she could pull him in deeper, Lucy was pulled off his lap suddenly. "Hey!" she yelped out angrily as she stumbled before standing. "Let me go!" she demanded, pulling her arm roughly away from the grasp that bruised her skin.

Natsu snapped to his feet, his fists alight as he quickly pulled Lucy by her waist behind him. He took a protective stance, staring down the redhead that ripped Lucy from him. He growled, flashing his sharp canines as he crouched low. "What do you think you're doing!?" he all but yelled, his tone dangerous and hard.

Erza glared down at Natsu, a sword quickly appearing in her hand with a flash. She pointed the sword towards him. "I should be asking you the same thing." She caught sight of Gray approaching, his hands glowing as a cold mist began to surround him. "Stand down, Natsu! This isn't like you."

Natsu quickly adjusted his position as Gray neared, pushing Lucy behind him so he could stare down both mages. He growled, never once letting his fire die.

Lucy kept her head down, allowing the bangs of her hair cover her eyes as she laughed heartily. She didn't bother to hide the malice that carried on her laughter. Gently, she placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder. It was enough to snuff his flames, and the pink haired man eased out of his crouch – although he maintained a tense posture.

Erza shared a look with Gray. With her sword still poised at the ready, the redhead stared at Lucy. "Explain yourself. Now."

She shrugged as she stood aside Natsu. "I don't have to explain anything to you, Titania. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to return to the party before this escalates." Lucy moved her hand along Natsu's shoulder as she moved towards the lit ballroom. Before she removed her hand from his shoulder, she let a finger graze ever so gently at the base of his neck to trace a line above his shirt collar. She waved a nonchalant hand to the mages behind her as she kept a slow and carefree gait to her steps. "We'll undoubtedly deal with this later. Until then, do try to keep yourselves in check."

Three mages watched the celestial wizard disappear into the ballroom in silence. It was Gray who broke the silence. "What the hell was that?"

"That was not Lucy Heartfillia," Erza responded softly. She lowered her sword as she stared at the pink haired man before her. "Natsu."

His shoulders tensed as he kept his eyes focused on the lit ballroom. Without Lucy's presence, he felt the fog around his mind and his magic begin to lift. His body ached, however, and the feeling of longing and hunger grew. It made his skin itch.

"Something is going on with Lucy." She kept her tone soft and gentle as she watched Natsu's eyes shift with a flash of uncertainty. "Surely you see it."

Releasing a puff of warm air, Natsu's eyes turned towards Gray and Erza as they regarded him quietly. He shook his head in efforts to shake off the anxiousness that made his fingers twitch. "Yeah. Something's up," he admitted in a soft grumble. "But, she's Lucy and I'm going to keep her safe until I can get to whatever it is. You guys are just getting in the way."

"Sounds like you're just pissy about getting cock blocked, ash breath," Gray muttered under his breath as he allowed his thoughts to enter the open air. It earned him a hard punch in the jaw, and he stared up at the fire dragon slayer in shock as Erza pushed Natsu back.

His eyes were covered by the thick bangs of his pink hair. "Watch your mouth, Gray," Natsu warned, his tone steady although it cracked with the strain of the control he barely managed to maintain. Straightening, he matched Erza's hard gaze. "I'm not stupid enough to believe that you were just on some mission. I bet the old man sent you. Probably because he can feel something is happening to Lucy, just like you can." He paused and tilted his head back as he stared up at the stars. He released another heated breath, and he scratched at his skull as the hunger filled his being. Natsu willed his legs to stay, although his body ached to be near the celestial mage, and he released a groan of irritation. The sound rumbled through his muscles. "Just like I can," he finally managed, "but she's Lucy and I'm not going to leave her when she needs help. I can't." Shifting his weight from foot to foot, Natsu's body ached to move towards the ballroom. To be near the celestial mage. "Augh!" Natsu finally released as he growled, his irritation overwhelming him. "I can't stay away from her right now. I need to be near her."

Erza reached out to grab his arm, but she snapped her hand back at the heat that met her skin. She staggered back at the heated glare that the dragon slayer sent her way.

"I need to be near her, Erza," Natsu repeated through the angry growl, though there was a sense of pleading in his words. "Don't get in my way." He relished in the relief that overwhelmed his body as his legs closed the distance between him and the ballroom. As he stepped into the edge of the light that flooded the large stone patio, his eyes caught sight of golden hair in the center of the vast room. He breathed in, the scent of her cutting through the other aromas in the room. It filled his lungs, quieting the hunger that made his muscles ache, and it eased the muscles that were tense from her absence.

She watched Natsu's shoulders relax once he reached the edge of the ballroom. Erza waited until he disappeared into the ballroom. "We are leaving tonight. Gather your gear and tell Happy to be ready to move. We will leave as soon as the guests are gone."

"I doubt Lucy is going to come willingly," Gray muttered, his eyes focused at the lit ballroom. "Natsu's dangerous, Erza. He can't control himself. I think that if Lucy fights us, we're going to have to deal with him too.

"If we have to, we'll incapacitate them both. But, we're getting our nakama back home. Tonight."


	29. Chapter 29

**[Author's Note: This chapter is rated M(A) for explicit adult descriptions/themes. 18+.]**

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Author's Note: This was a difficult chapter to write and will be darker than previous chapters.**

**CHAPTER 29**

"You look delectable."

The words were nothing more than a whisper, but Natsu heard them as clearly as if it was screamed right into his ears. He narrowed his eyes at Kurai as the man leaned towards Lucy. It took all of his energy to stop his magic from heating the air around him into a skin blistering temperature. His eyes moved from Kurai's face to the hand that rested comfortably on the small of her back, and he watched as his fingers drew small circles near the base of her spine. Natsu had seen the intimate touch through most of the evening, and his patience had finally reached its limit. The few lingering guests surrounded the pair to say their final words of parting. Natsu pushed past the circle of women who had surrounded him in hopes of receiving his attention for the rest of the late evening. He didn't even register their expressions of indignation at being ignored as he approached Lucy nor did he see them leave in a huff. As the last guests stepped through the doors and the pair was no longer surrounded, Natsu placed a hand on her arm. "Lucy?" She turned to stare at him, her eyes void of any true focus before they seemed to see him. Her magic began to reach for him, and Natsu inhaled sharply as he felt his own magic respond. He muffled the growl that reverberated through his chest as he felt lust overwhelm his senses. Natsu removed his hand from her arm and his body stiffly pulled back to straighten his posture.

Lucy smiled up at him as she tilted her head to the side. Her eyes were glassy with an empty expression. "Yes, Natsu?" she replied with a sickly sweetness.

Kurai regarded the two quietly, his fingers still lightly dancing on the small of her back. Several glasses of wine in his system made him bold enough to make his touches linger, and his magic itched to claim her. He could barely contain his smile as he felt her slip deeper and deeper under his spell. Throughout the night, he remained by Lucy's side whenever he was able, allowing his magic to flow easily through his fingers to envelop the light of her magic. Coughing to hide the smirk that was easily twitching the corners of his lips, he drew Natsu's attention. Making pointed effort to ignore the glare that made his skin sweat, Kurai leaned to whisper into Lucy's ear. "Send him away," he commanded as his lips lightly brushed against her skin.

Natsu snorted at hearing Kurai's words. Who was he to think he could use such a tone with her? He dug his fingernails into his palms as his hands balled into tight fists, and he fought against the need to beat the man senseless.

She nodded – to Natsu's surprise – and trained her eyes on the pink haired dragon slayer. When their eyes met, she forced the ends of her lips to curl into a smile to ease him. She kept her tone sweet despite the harshness that covered her words. "Leave me, Natsu," she told him simply. Lucy began to move as Kurai's placed the palm of his hand on the small of her back and began to lead her away, but she stopped as Natsu's hand snapped out to grab her arm.

He ignored the pull within him that demanded to release her, and the cacophony of voices roared in his head screamed for him to obey. "Lucy," he managed in a strained whisper. His body ached as he fought against himself. "I really think you should come with me." His eyes flickered from her face to meet the curious look that Kurai gave him. Natsu leaned forward to whisper into her ear, taking a moment to take in her scent once he neared her. It calmed him as he continued to battle against the pain that coursed through him as he kept hold of her. "I- I think we should leave. Tonight. Erza and Gray, I think they're going to make us leave whether you, um, we want to or not."

Laughing softly, Lucy pulled her arm from his grip slowly and placed a hand on his cheek as she stared deep into his eyes. Tilting her head to the other side, a smile graced her lips as she felt him stiffen under her touch before relaxing to lean into the palm of her hand. Her magic pulsed steadily, and she reached out to him to soothe the rage that flared within him. "Shush, dragon," she whispered softly. "I can handle them." Lucy placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Calm yourself and wait for me."

Natsu stood alone, his hand on his cheek, as he watched Kurai lead Lucy away from the ballroom. His eyes narrowed at the man, and he let loose a low and dangerous growl. Clenching his jaw, Natsu bit his teeth together with so much force he was sure they would crack.

. . .

Kurai watched the sway of her hips as he allowed her to move past him and enter his office. He closed the heavy double doors behind him with a soft click. The movements that followed were quick: the rough capture of her wrist, the forceful tug towards him, and the twist of his body to pin the woman to the doors behind her. He let his laughter vibrate in his chest as her eyes remained void of any reaction. Her body stiffened under the weight of his body, but she made no sound or movement of protest. Kurai pushed his hips into hers and his hands pinned her by the wrists. Taking his time, he began to grind his waist into her as he pushed a leg between her thighs. The friction made him hard and he let a groan slip from the back of his throat as he let the tip of his nose trace a line along the nook of her neck. His tongue slipped between his lips and he took a satisfying lick towards her ear. "Delectable," he mumbled.

Lucy remained still, her senses numb. Her body tensed with the feel of him, and the screaming in her mind was muffled as she felt her magic flare at Kurai's presence.

He laughed as if suddenly embarrassed, and he pulled away from her body. Kurai grabbed her wrist and pulled her deeper into his office. "You're too good of a temptation, Ms. Heartfillia," he muttered, "and I've never been good at denying myself temptations." He dragged her to his desk and roughly pushed her to sit at the edge, settling between her spread legs. He took his time, staring down at the woman who looked up at him with a vacant expression. Placing a hand on her neck, the other toyed with the slit at her hip and pushed the fabric apart to reveal her bare leg. He let his hand slide under the fabric and pushed a finger against the cloth that covered her core. The ragged breath she released sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine, and he grinned as he caught the flash of panic that moved through her eyes. Despite it all, Lucy made no protest. Her face maintained its empty expression and her body remained still under his touch.

"Turning you has taken significant energy," he told her softly as the hand on her neck tightened. His eyes fell on the stone that pulsed steadily against the center of her throat. It glowed dark, all signs of hints of red almost gone. "I thought this would have pushed you over the edge, but I can still see you fighting. There's still light in you." Kurai growled softly. "I'm getting tired of waiting for my prize, Ms. Heartfillia." Pulling at his magic, the shadows that darkened the corners of his office began to move towards them. It wrapped around her wrists and held her down to the cold surface of his desk so that he could pull his chest away from her. "I did mean to be patient, but I decided to hell with patience. I can't very well give you up so soon after having you near me. So, I'm just going to need to do something to push you over the edge." His hand moved from her neck, his palms moving over the bare skin of her shoulder and her chest, and settled over her heart. "Don't worry, my dear. I will be gentle," he teased in a hushed tone, malice dripping with each word. Kurai lifted his hand so that it hovered over her chest.

"Pulvis et umbra sumus," (1) he chanted clearly and his magic gathered from his palm, the smoke appearing at his will. "We are but dust and shadow." The hand over her heart was covered in black smoke, the tips slowly forming a snake's head with a mouth wide open. Black fangs formed, elongated and poised at the ready. The fingers near her core toyed with the edging of her undergarments and pushed them aside. Kurai let his fingertips trace a tiny circle along the sensitive mound that was moist by her body's natural reaction. He laughed as she released an almost inaudible fearful whimper. "There, there, my dear. It'll be over soon." Instantly, the shadowy snake head snapped towards her chest and buried its fangs into her heart just as Kurai pushed his fingers deep into the warmth of her. He could barely contain the moan as he felt her tighten around his fingers.

Lucy gasped, her head snapping back as magic filled her and the tips of his fingers curled to push against her internal walls. Her eyes remained open as she stared at the ceiling, her brown eyes turning black as a tears ran along her cheek. She felt his magic pulsate through her, grabbing hold of the golden strands of energy that made her power tangible.

"Shh," he manically soothed. "Almost there, my dear." Kurai kept his hand over her chest and his fingers buried deep within her.

The violation made her shudder, and Lucy's body could barely contain the pained whimper and tears. Her lips parted as if ready to cry out, but her voice found itself trapped. The barrage of Kurai's magic stopped, but his fingers didn't leave her. She felt the hand over her heart move over her chest, hunger and needing in its grasp as it rested over her neck. His fingers tightened around her neck as his palm pushed the stone against her throat to choke her. It pulsated steadily, and Lucy felt her magic swell as a hunger filled her. She felt the lust, a need for desires to be satiated. She had felt it coursing through her body for several days, relished in the greed she felt as power and dark confidence change her. Her body felt Kurai's fingers move, and her magic swirled alive as her body burned as anger replaced greed. Lucy's head snapped forward and her eyes widened at the weight of the man who leaned over her. Growling, the blonde wrestled against the shadows that pinned her wrists to the cold surface of Kurai's desk. She thrashed violently under him, her body writhing as she tried to push the man away from her.

Kurai frowned, pulling his fingers out from her and stepping back. His eyes grew wide as her mouth opened and a hellish scream escaped her lips, her voice echoing against the dark wood walls of his office. Before he could register a response, a crash had him falling to his knees. His hands covered his neck and his head as shattered glass rained over him. The sounds of dozens of feet hitting the ground drowned out Lucy's screams. Confused and distracted, Kurai lost track of his magic, releasing Lucy from his shadow shackles.

She stumbled to the ground, and she continued to scream. Her insides burned as his magic moved through her blood. It wrapped around the golden strands of her magic, completely shadowing the light that filled her very being. Lucy clutched at her chest as she tried to breathe. Her screams stopped as her body shook uncontrollably, her tears falling over the shards of broken stained glass under her. The edges poked through the fabric of her gown and pierced her skin. Her nerves could barely register her pain as her magic attempted to break the hold his magic tried to gain.

Kurai felt the cold steel of a sword's blade pressed against the back of his neck, and he stood slowly with his hands up in the air by his head. Carefully, he turned to glare at the muscular man that towered over him. Familiar black eyes met his hard gaze. "Ichiro, I was wondering when you'd make your appearance," Kurai managed to say. He dusted himself clean of glass and tugged at his shirt. He steadied his hand and ran it through his white hair in attempts to make himself appear put together.

Ichiro laughed mockingly as he stared down at his younger brother. His laugh filled the office easily, and he sneered knowingly as two of his men each grabbed hold of Kurai's arms roughly. He lowered his sword and sheathed the blade. The elder of the two raised a brow before stepping past the man to kneel in front of Lucy and carefully placed a hand under her chin to lift her face into view. His eyes stared into the black vacant eyes that looked back at him. Ichiro laughed heartily. "You just couldn't wait for the waning moon, could you Kurai?"

The younger of the Dai brothers grumbled. "Didn't need to. My magic is strong enough to handle her transition." Kurai watched as Ichiro pulled Lucy up to stand by wrapping his muscular arm around her waist and pulling her to her feet. She leaned almost entirely against Ichiro, her breath short and ragged as her body continued to shake. "Get your hands off her," Kurai sneered, spitting at Ichiro's feet. "You can't have her. She's mine!"

"Shut up!" Ichiro roared as he allowed a show of anger. "Do you really think I would ever allow you to steal what is rightfully my birthright?!" His voice boomed as he tightened his hold around Lucy's waist. "I won't let you steal more from me, Kurai! I'm going to make sure you watch me retake what is mine before I kill you myself."

Before Kurai could shout back his response, a blast knocked the double doors to his office off their hinges. The door panels hung loosely before dropping unceremoniously to the ground with a heavy thud. Ichiro's feet remained rooted as his eyes adjusted through the smoke and ash that filled the room.

As the debris settled, one winged feline and three human silhouettes graced the entrance of the office. Happy floated near the redhead, his wings spread open as his paws were pulled to his face in a defensive stance. Clad in plated armor covering her chest and a billowing skirt of metal, Erza stood steadfast with her eyes focused on Ichiro. Her metal wings glistened as the light hit the silvery surface. With a sword in each hand, her body was tease at battle ready. Beside her, Gray stood with his cold hands lifted at the ready. A thin mist of ice formed a frigid fog around him. His bare chest heaved heavily with his breathing.

Completing the trio, Natsu stood front and center of their formation, his body completely engulfed in smoldering flames. His eyes narrowed at Ichiro, and his gaze flickered to the shaking Lucy in his arms. His flames roared uncontrollably as he growled menacingly at the black haired shadow wizard that held the celestial wizard. Natsu curled his back into a standing crouch as he readied his body to pounce. "Let her go. Now!" Natsu demanded in a near screaming volume. He took a steady angry step into the office, the heat he released forced Ichiro's men to step away from the approaching inferno. His eyes never left Lucy's face as possessiveness overwhelmed his senses.

The younger of the Dai brothers shuddered at the heat that blistered his skin. His body instinctually took a step back, but found himself pushed forward as Ichiro planted a solid foot into his back. Kurai tumbled forward as the grip around his arms loosened, and he found himself falling straight into Natsu's path. The dragon slayer stepped to the side, allowing the white haired man to fall past him before he spun on the ball of his foot to send a spinning kick straight into his back. Kurai grunted as the force of the kick sent him flying straight into Erza's path. The redhead quickly moved her hand over the hilt of her sword, stepped forward into a low lunge, and sent a strong uppercut into his stomach. It sent Kurai instantly onto his knees as black dots filled his vision, and he barely registered the poke to his cheek by a paw before his eyes closed.

Ichiro let loose another hearty laugh as he watched Kurai fall. He met Natsu's intense gaze. He made no move, but he watched as Natsu's muscles tensed as he stood his ground. Snickering, he leaned towards Lucy as he pulled the mage closer to him. He whispered softly into her ear, "Make yourself useful and control your dragon."

The words snapped Lucy from her trance, and her once brown eyes sparked alive as a fog lifted around her. She blinked as her vision came into focus. Her body stilled at the feeling of the arm that wrapped around her waist tightly and she leaned away from the body that held her like a possession won. Her eyes met the harsh gaze of the man who stared down at her expectantly and her head turned from Ichiro to focus on Natsu. Her magic sparked, dark strands of energy making her fingers tingle as she felt the heat of his magic.

Ichiro released her from his grasp with a smug snicker, his eyes never leaving her as she took steady steps through the protective barrier of men who surrounded him.

Natsu snuffed the flames that covered his body and he reached out his arm as Lucy walked to him. She reached out her hand, placing it over his heart as her steps took her deeper into his embrace. His arm wrapped around her instantly, and she released a shaky breath as his warmth cloaked her. Her body began to shake as a lingering ache between her legs weakened her knees. Lucy stumbled a little, and Natsu tightened his grasp around her waist to keep her from falling. Her magic swelled as her mind flashed memories of Kurai's violation, and she pulled at the darkness that resided in her heart. It raged, pulsating in heavy waves through her fingertips as the stone around her neck glowed.

Instantly, his flames roared alive and enveloped them both. The blast of heat sent everyone back with panicked steps.

"Natsu." Lucy looked up at him, her tone ghostly in tone and emotion. "Kill them for me."

Notes:

(1) Source: Horace, Odes Book IV, vii, 16.


	30. Chapter 30

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Author's Note: Lyrics from "The Hanging Tree" and performed exactly in the same eerie manner. Also, in celebration, I quickly wrote up a Halloween one-shot of fluff. Be safe and enjoy the day!**

**CHAPTER 30**

"Kill them for me." Lucy stared up at Natsu as he seemed to hesitate at her words. She let her magic swell under her fingertips and twisted them around the heat of the magic that raged through his veins. "Kill them all for me."

A beat of silence filled the space.

"Lucy!"

"What are you saying?!"

"Lucy!"

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Erza, Gray, Happy, and Ichiro screamed out, their words blending together until they were silenced by the terrifying roar that Natsu released. When he stopped, dark empty eyes landed on Ichiro, sounds of splintering and popping as Natsu's flames flickered and lapped at the wood under his feet.

"Well what are you waiting for?!" Ichiro screamed as his head snapped from side to side to gape as his men, sweat dripping from his temples. "Stop him!"

Swords clashed as the sounds of metal against metal mingled with the sounds of men grunting during their struggles. Erza had zipped between Natsu and the first wave of men who attempt to meet the fire head on. It was her sword that stopped his lit fists, and she found herself in a battle against Ichiro's men while simultaneously trying to protect them. "Natsu!" she screamed out to him as she parried attacks. "Natsu! Snap out of it!"

Lucy stepped out of the protective dome of Natsu's flames as the battle began. Her hand reached out to the leather covered wingback chair in front of Kurai's desk, and she lowered herself slowly into the cushion. Releasing a quiet breath, she leaned back into the chair as she crossed her legs and threw an uncaring arm over the armrest. Her eyes fell to the tapestry behind the desk, the edges curling as the heat lifted the woven fabric from the wooden walls. The lower half of the tapestry depicted bodies littered the barren wasteland of a battlefield, and the detailed needlework didn't nothing to hide the brutality of the scene. In the center of the destruction, a dark pillar of black wrapped in a whirlwind of fire and light reached into the ominous clouds that covered the sky. She sunk into the cushion as she began humming an eerie melody.

Gray called out to Happy as he moved towards Lucy, ducking at the fist aimed at his head. "Get the communication lacrima in my room, Happy! Tell the guild we need them here now!" Happy flew as directed.

Natsu remained silent as he glowed blue with cold anger. His flames grew ravenous, dancing in hues of orange and yellow as they rolled easily off his skin and along the floor. His eyes were black, empty of any thought as hatred fueled his movements, and focused on the men behind the redhead. His attacks pushed the mage back as he battled his way towards Ichiro. Unconscious bodies fell to the side, but more stepped into his path. Splatters of blood stained his tunic as his feet was covered in blood.

He roared, his flames growing wide as it travelled over the paper and books that littered the floor.

Gray encased a burning pile of paper in ice to snuff the flames. His ice attempted to delay the inferno that continued to grow around them as he made his way towards celestial wizard. He ducked as a swinging sword aimed for his head, and his elbow made contact with someone's abdomen. "Lucy!" His eyes caught sight of the pale hand that dangled over the armrest. It swayed in short motions as if she was conducting an orchestra as she repeated the steady rhythm. Had it not been for the chaos around them, Gray would have sworn it sounded like a sweet lullaby.

Ichiro growled as he stared at the chaos that surrounded him. His eyes narrowed at the humming woman who sat in the chair beside him. "You!" She stared up at him with unfeeling eyes. Unnerved by the emptiness that looked back at him, he unsheathed his sword and swung it towards her. A flash of bright light blinded him and he grunted as a sharp impact sent him crashing into the large oak desk behind him. It splintered under the weight of his body He struggled to sit up. He cried out in pain as his bloodied hand hovered the pointed edge of wood that penetrated through his shoulder from behind. Fear overwhelmed him as he stared at the suit-clad orange haired man that towered over him, his eyes hidden by the dark tinted glasses that reflected the flames that climbed up the dark corners of the wooden office walls.

Loke turned his back to Ichiro and kneeled by Lucy's dangling hand. Bowing his head, he said nothing as a body landed by his feet.

"I thought I told you not to appear until I called for you." Her eyes never left the tapestry as she weaved her fingers through the strands of his mane as strong fingertips massaged his scalp. He released a low primal growl as her magic moved through him. "No matter," she dismissed as Loke lifted his head to look at her. She stood while she began her melody again, humming a few bars before she began to sing. She stared down at Ichiro before she turned towards the office doors. She stepped over the bloodied body of one of his minions. Loke walked behind her, keeping close to her left and only moving out of place to snap the arm back of an attacker that neared her.

"Are you, are you coming to the tree where they strung up a man they say murdered three. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

Ichiro stared at her back as she walked away. His eyes widened at the sight of her. Her red gown danced on the increasingly stifling air that wrapped around her. Golden strands whipped around her and over her shoulders, her steps silent and careful. Natsu's flames roared around her, and Loke's light blinded those who stole a glance at the celestial mage. In the blindness of light, they could only see her shrouded in shadows, a dark silhouette surrounded by flames. Ichiro screamed as he gingerly grasped his injured shoulder. "What are you!?"

"Are you, are you coming to the tree where the dead man called out for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

She passed Gray without bothering to acknowledge him. "Lucy!" he called out desperately. He gasped as he neared her and Loke sent him to his knees with a punch into his abdomen. He could barely register his surprise when he rolled out of the way as a sword, wielded by one of Ichiro's men, swung for his head. He watched as Loke returned by Lucy as the woman continued her slow possession out of the office.

Lucy's voice carried easily over the heat that only continued to increase around them

"Are you, are you coming to the tree where I told you to run so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Lucy!" Erza screamed as she tried to block Lucy from leaving, but her efforts were hindered by the men who continued to fight her. Natsu abandoned his fight with her as he took his place to Lucy's right. He no longer wore his flames and he kept his steps steady as he walked alongside the celestial mage, her song calling out to him.

Lucy's voice was smooth though raspy with the heat that dried the back of her throat, as it easily moved over the lyrics of her song, the words bitter and spine-chilling.

"Are you, are you coming to the tree wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Erza, we need to get out of here!" screamed Gray when Lucy, Natsu, and Loke disappeared from his sight. Lucy's melody continued to float on air, and it repeated to loop in his mind. He dodged a kick as he sent his ice towards the billowing smoke that hid the new pillar of flames. "I can't keep up with the fire!" He coughed as smoke filled the room and ash began to fill his lungs. Flames moved easily over the books and paper as the heat was enough to birth new flames. A cool breeze through the broken windows only stoked fire. He began to grab bodies as a flash of blue appeared beside him.

Happy held the body of an unconscious Kurai in his shaking paws as he followed Erza and Gray out the window. "Did we get everybody?" Happy puffed as he dropped to the ground, his wings long gone as his magic wore thin from exhaustion. "Are they still alive!?"

Gray and Erza heaved heavily, their eyes darting over the dozens of bodies that they had pulled out of the office. They sighed in relief as they saw chests rising and falling with ragged breaths; their friends hadn't done the unimaginable.

"Are you, are you coming to the tree where I told you to run so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

His ears twitched as the melody hit his ears. "Natsu!" cried Happy as he remained rooted to the ground. Tears poured steadily from his eyes.

Happy's cry grabbed Erza's and Gray's attentions. They sat up and followed Happy's gaze, settling on Lucy, Natsu, and Loke as they stood watching the blaze that moved swiftly through the mansion. Their faces were lit by the flames, and their shadows danced on the ground with each pop and cackle as the fire consumed the structure. They fought against the weariness that ravaged their bodies and staggered to their feet as they took slow painful steps towards their friends. The soft ghostly melody filled their ears as they watched Lucy rocking back and forth, heels to the balls of her feet. She clasped her hands behind her back as she sang, the lyrics dancing with the embers and ash that floated on the wind.

"Are you, are you coming to the tree where they strung up a man they say who murdered three. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

"Lucy!" they cried out in desperation. They watched helplessly as the three turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

Lucy's voice wrapped around them dancing on the wind, faded but clear.

"Are you, are you coming to the tree wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we met at midnight in the hanging tree."


	31. Chapter 31

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 31**

Erza sighed as Kurai stirred and she sent her gauntlet-covered fist to the top of his head. Again. She watched with a dull expression as the white haired shadow mage grunted before submitting to the unconscious world.

"You're probably giving him an even bigger concussion," Gray muttered as he rubbed his sore shoulder. Not that they didn't deserve it, but he didn't bother saying it. His redhead companion was probably thinking the same thing. He stared at the two Dai brothers, who they had tied securely to the trunk of the large oak tree that graced the edge of the mansion's grounds. The group had discovered fairly quickly at the two brothers and their shadow powers were rather bothersome when Kurai had regained consciousness. He had slipped easily through the rope bindings they used, so the two Fairy Tail wizards took shifts knocking the Dai brothers out whenever they threatened to regain consciousness.

"It is far less than what these fiend deserve," she muttered flatly as she slammed Ichiro's head against the tree trunk as he began to stir. Erza nodded with satisfaction when he slumped over and didn't move. Her eyes moving to the tree line as the sky's light blue hue took over the dark of night. Exhaustion had her unable to stand, so she remained seated near the slumping ice wizard. "Have you seen any sign of Happy yet?"

Gray shook his head. His eyes moved to the tree line, his vision searching for any sign of the blue exceed who had dashed into the forest after Natsu. It had been far past midnight since they had last seen Happy, and he couldn't deny being worried. Natsu and Lucy were not acting normally, and Gray hated to admit that he didn't trust them at the moment. His eyes lingered on the Dai brothers, anger simmering easily under the surface of his cool façade. He didn't quite know how, but he knew they were at fault. "I guess he's still trying to find them," he replied as he tried to push past his anger. His eyes focused on the small dust cloud that seemed to grow bigger the longer he watched. A fast-approaching cart, drawn by two horses, quickly came into focus. Gray tried to stand, but he grumbled as his legs denied him.

Gajeel, Levy, Juvia, Wendy, and Cana jumped out of the cart before it stopped, breaking into a sprint towards Erza and Gray. Carla and Pantherlily remained in the cart, with the latter pulling at the reigns to stop the galloping horses.

"Gray-sama!" sobbed Juvia. She had dashed towards him and nearly toppled over him in an effort to suddenly stop her momentum. "Juvia was worried after we received the communication from the blue cat! Gray-sama is hurt! Juvia will heal him with her love!" She encased him in a death-grip of a hug.

He winced as he tried to pry himself out of her clutches. "I'm fine, Juvia," he insisted breathlessly as Juvia's hold tightened around his chest. He winced as her grip pinched at the deep bruise that had yet to show. "Need. To. Breathe," he managed as tiny black dots started to fill his vision. Gray gingerly took in a deep breath as he felt her hold around his chest loosen just enough for him to fill his lungs with oxygen.

Wendy kneeled between the two as she faced them, her eyes quickly scanning over their battered bodies. As far as she could tell, their injuries didn't look life-threatening. It eased the worry she had carried during their long journey. She shifted slowly to Erza, moving her glowing hands over the redhead. "You're a little worse than Gray, so I will heal you first. Please try not to move so much, and let me take care you," she offered kindly

Gajeel towered over the group, his arms folded over his chest as his eyes surveyed the scene. Groups of four or five men dressed in black were tightly bound with rope to the trunks of the thickest trees that lined the property, some conscious and wiggling against their restraints while others were still knocked out and slumped over the bindings. A number of the employees were resting under the shade of the trees, the uninjured tending to those who weren't as lucky to escape the blaze. He peered over at the wreckage of a mansion, spotting signs of glowing embers under the blackened coals of what was once a massive home. The heat simmered just under the surface.

Levy kneeled before Erza and Gray, her eyes filled with concern. "Master sent us as soon as we received word, and we caught the last train out of Magnolia," she explained softly though her voice didn't hide her panic. "We couldn't get here any sooner. What happened? Where are Lucy and Natsu?"

Erza and Gray shared a sad look before Gray answered for the pair, "They're gone."

"What do you mean they're gone?" Cana asked, the situation sobering her from her usual drunken state. "What happened here?"

The redhead removed the gauntlets from her hands and wiggled her fingers as soon as Wendy moved to heal Gray. She pinched the bridge of her nose as her headache pounded even more against her skull. "Natsu did all of this," she answered, keeping the hand at her sinuses while the other waved at the burnt mansion, "under Lucy's orders."

"What?" Levy blinked, straightening as her eyes scanned the rubble. The wreckage was massive. How hot were those flames to burn everything to the ground in under twelve hours? "I don't understand. What are you saying?"

Gray sighed as he focused on the sensation of his skin knitting together. "We don't know the details," he admitted, "but Erza's right. Lucy told Natsu to kill everyone-."

"What?!" the group screamed.

He sighed as he repeated himself. "Lucy told Natsu to kill everyone, and we ended up in the center of a fight in a burning building. They disappeared into the woods after they watched the place burn for a bit."

Levy, Cana, Juvia, Wendy, and Gajeel remained quiet, each in their own worried thoughts.

"Where's Happy?"

Gray turned to stare at Carla as she trotted to stand next to Wendy. He shook his head. "We don't know. He flew after them into the woods." She didn't reply, and he looked up to see Pantherlily loading the mansion's employees carefully into the cart. Slowly, he began to flex his muscles as he felt Wendy's magic end. He turned to the blue-haired sky dragon slayer and offered a small sad smile. "Thanks, Wendy."

She only nodded, returning a sad smile of her own, before turning her attention to the two men who were tied securely to the tree behind them. "Who are they?"

Erza released a low sounding growl. "One of them is Dai Kurai, the client. We think the other is his brother because of the resemblance. We do not know the details. We entered in the middle of the fight with that one," she paused to motion to Ichiro, "holding Lucy. He informed her to 'control her dragon' and the results are what you see here."

"We've had to keep them knocked out. They control shadows. Regular bindings don't work on these two; we'll need magic-binding ropes to keep them from escaping," Gray explained. He couldn't help but smirk. "Erza's taken it upon herself to keep them in the dark."

Gajeel snickered at the poorly made pun. He snapped his head to the edge of the property when his senses caught the sounds of rustling leaves and breaking branches. A blue ball of fur tumbled out and kicked up a trail of dust as it rolled along the rocky ground before it stopped. He jogged over to the exceed, carefully picked up the feline in his large hands, and carried him to Wendy. "Did you find them?"

Happy struggled to shake his head as he was passed from Gajeel to Wendy. "I tried," he sobbed. "I couldn't find him, and I tried. I flew all night and all morning. I'm so sorry. I failed." His heart ached terribly as sadness wrecked his body. He couldn't stop shaking as his tears flowed.

A few tears trailed gently down Wendy's cheeks as she carefully passed magic over Happy's weary body. "We're here, now, Happy. We'll find them," she tried to soothe. She caught Carla's gaze, as her white feline carefully took Happy's paw in comfort. It did nothing to ease his pain as he continued to apologize, as if he had failed them by not finding the celestial mage and the dragon slayer. Wendy looked around the group. "We need to get him back to town. He needs more care than I can provide here. He's dangerously low on magic." They nodded and she stood slowly to avoid jostling the exceed in her arms too much. "We can take the injured back to town. What should we do about them?" she let her gaze fall on the men tied to the trees.

As if on cue, both Dai brothers began to stir. Erza and Gray stood and the group closed in around the pair of men. Pantherlily joined the group, his sword drawn and ready.

Kurai blinked as his vision cleared and he stared up at to find nine pairs of eyes focused on him. The youngest of the group held the unconscious blue feline he recognized while an unrecognized white one remained perched on her shoulder. An imposing gray feline with the body of a man glared down at him as he leaned on an equally large sword, the tip digging into the dirt. He gulped.

"Augh. My head," groaned Ichiro. He stared up at the group, feeling a chill to his bones as angry eyes stared down at him.

The silence killed Kurai, so he spoke first. "Well, this is a fine mess your mages have gotten us into," he grumbled as he tried to regain some semblance of dignity. "Do not expect payment after your friends destroyed my house."

A cold breeze frosted the sweat that dripped along their jawline, and Ichiro hissed with annoyance as he sent a sideways kick at his brother's ankle. "Shut the fuck up!"

Kurai glared at his brother. "Don't talk to me like that!" he barked. "It's your fault we're in this mess! If you didn't interrupt, her transition would be complete!"

"You're delusional! You can't complete the transition without the ritual!"

"I don't need the ritual. My magic is strong enough to change her!" Kurai countered, almost whining in his insistence. He stopped as a fist gripped at his collar and ripped him out of his rope bindings. He glanced down at Ichiro to find him pinned to the ground, a heavy black boot firmly planted between his shoulder blades.

"What did you do to Lucy?" hissed Gray as he brought the man closer to his face.

Ichiro released a manic laugh despite having the side of his face firmly pressed to the ground. "Now you've done it, you idiot!" He soon found himself lifted into the air, a gruff hand around his neck and he sputtered at the dragon slayer that threw him around like he weighed nothing.

"Talk," Gajeel ordered, his tone dangerously low and hostile. "What did you do to bunny girl?"

He blinked as he tried to breathe, his hands wrapped around the hand that held tightly to his neck. "Bunny girl?" he rasped. "You mean Lucy Heartfilia?" Ichiro gasped for air as he was dropped, and he grunted as his tailbone hit an exposed root. "I didn't do anything," he muttered as he rubbed his neck. "My brother over there decided to bypass the ceremony, so her transition isn't stable."

"Will you fucking answer the question?" Gray growled, annoyed that neither of the men were answering them.

Kurai's lips formed a thin line as he remained silent. He refused to talk, and he was thrown against the tree roughly as Gray's patience wore thin. He slid to the ground and contemplated his escape.

Ichiro glanced to his brother. The idiot may have a death wish, but he certainly didn't. "There is a legend in our family that has been passed down through the generations: with the power of a celestial wizard comes complete control over magic," he began as he stared up at the group.

Levy frowned. "How is that possible?"

He turned his attention to her. "Our family has always believed that celestial wizards are naturally in tune with the essence of magic. They carry with them ties to The One Magic, even if they don't know it. However slight, it's the source of their magic. It is why they can open doors to other realms and create contracts with those beings. A celestial wizard's magic is the source of strength and magic for those spirits and those who surround her. Her magic is constant, even when she's not using it. It's just the nature of their magic. Celestial magic reaches out to those who form a bond with the wizard, so her magic strengthens your own." Ichiro let his words linger as the group contemplated his words before he continued. "They are led by the light, hearts of gold and all that. It all depends on the person, but in general they all carry light within them. The purer the heart, the greater link to The One Magic. If reputation is anything to go by, you can't get more pure than Lucy Heartfilia. She is known not only for the influence she carries with her name, but for having the most number of zodiac keys. She has the highest number of bonds, not only with her spirits but also with her friends."

Gray's eye twitched. "This fucking backstory is great and all, but you're still not answering the question. What did you do to Lucy and Natsu?"

"Typical of such simple wizards," Kurai muttered under his breath, eliciting a warning growl from Gajeel. "You need to understand the nature of their magic to understand Ms. Heartfilia's transition. Our family's magic doesn't just control shadows. We know how to grab hold of the magic that courses through a celestial wizard's body and change the essence of her magic. Change it from the light to the shadows, in a manner of speaking." He ran a hand roughly through his hair. "Once the light is removed and our magic courses through her veins, we can control her and her magic."

The script mage gasped softly. "If that's true and you believe that celestial wizards are tied to The One Magic, then you believe that you'd change the essence of all magic. That doesn't mean just her spirits and anyone bonded to her magic. It would essentially change any magic user."

Cana frowned. "Let's say that all of this is true, then why the hell is Natsu the only one acting differently?" She looked at each of the Fairy Tail mages. "Everyone else we know isn't burning down mansions on command."

Kurai smirked. "It's easier to change the spirits tied to her because their bonds are directly tied to her magic. The speed at which you'd transition would depend on the strength of your bond with her, but it would have only happened completely after she was transitioned fully. Before the ceremony, only those closest to her would be affected. Clearly only that buffoon of a dragon slayer had a real link to her."

She shook her head. "Okay. Fine. But you said that if your magic is in her, which it has to be if she's acting like crazy Lucy, then why the hell can't you control her?"

Ichiro threw a heated glare at his brother's direction. "It's because the impatient fuck up there didn't do the ritual correctly."

Kurai snapped an equally heated stare at Ichiro. "I didn't need to wait to complete the ritual!"

"All you had to do was wait until tomorrow to take her purity-," Ichiro stopped as the air surrounding him became bitterly cold. He turned his attention from his younger brother and stared up at the fuming mages. He shrunk back as the women seemed to descend around him. A dark aura emanated from their bodies as darkness shadowed their eyes. Ichiro looked to the men and felines who stood behind the women, their eyes equally dark.

"What did you just say?" came the dangerous growl from the youngest of the group. She cradled the blue feline in her arms gently though her body seemed ready to roar.

"We should step away Wendy," interrupted the white cat on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be listening to this."

Wendy shook her head as she refused, her voice firm yet gentle. "No, Carla. He hurt our friends, and I want to know how so I can help Lucy and Natsu."

Juvia, who had remained silent through the entire interrogation, balled her hands into fists. Her body shook as she tried to keep rooted to the ground. "What is this transition you keep mentioning?"

The eldest of the Dai brothers gulped and stole a sideways glance at Kurai. His mind worked quickly. "I- in order to turn a celestial mage of pure heart, yo- you have to take away her hope and fill her heart with despair," he answered quickly. The women took a dangerous step towards him. Ichiro yelled out as he pointed to his brother, "I didn't touch her! I swear! It was all Kurai!"

"Touch her?" gasped Levy and Cana at the same time.

"What did you do to Lucy?" Erza demanded with a deadly calm, her eyes narrowing at the man.

He rolled his eyes in a show of defiance as he pushed himself to stand. He ignored the glares he received as he tried to tidy his unkempt hair. "I didn't take her virginity, if that's your asking," his voice dripped with smugness as he uncaringly waved his hand about in the air. He couldn't help but gloat. "I just slid my fingers into her and-," he stopped as the sound of snapping bones filled his ears. A split moment later, pain coursed up his arm and Kurai could only scream as he pulled his hand to his chest, two fingers bent far back in an inhumane angle. He glared down at the blue haired script mage as she seethed and screeched obscenities at him, her eyes unable to focus on his face. He hissed angrily at her, "How dare you touch me?!" He raised his uninjured hand as if to strike her, but wrath unknown descended on him before he could react.

Kurai found himself floating in a sphere of water, oxygen unable able reach him. His lungs pushed against his ribs as he tried to hold his breath. Despite the pain that coursed through his arm from his broken fingers, he flailed his limbs in an effort to swim out of his watery prison. A multitude of swords pierced into the sphere to surround him, and the blades sliced into his skin as he continued to panic. The sphere's clear water started to turn pink as his arms mixed his blood with the water. He released oxygen from his lungs and began gulping. It tasted of iron and tears. Black filled his vision as time continued to tick away, his limbs slowing in their attempts to escape.

"Juvia!" Gajeel called out again. He ran his calloused hands over his face. It was the fifth time he had tried to call out to her. His eyes moved over the group of women as they continued to stare at indifferently stare at Kurai's slow and painful move to unconsciousness and eventually death. He sighed, sharing the same conflicted look with his male guild members. He tried again, his voice firm. "Juvia!"

Water splashed on the ground, the sounds of clattering metal soon following. Kurai dropped down, his legs folded under him and his face covered by his hair. The group stood over the body, Ichiro's face white at the sight of his motionless brother. "Is he-?"

Juvia sneered. "This disgusting man is alive. Juvia will not taint her hands with the blood of such filth," she replied before turning her attention to Ichiro. "You will tell Juvia and her friends more about this ritual so that Juvia and her friends can secure love rival's and Natsu's safe return."

"Love rival?" he blinked and nodded quickly as the women turned their attention to him. "Right. The celestial wizard." Ichiro coughed and pushed himself back into the tree. "The spell is unstable because Kurai touched-," he flinched as the women growled but continued, "because he tried to rush the spell. The ritual requires him to take her at the altar, solidifying his magic's control over her because it would create a permanent link to him. Without him, she is running in the darkness of his magic alone. The spell will lead her to the altar, even without Kurai. If she completes the ritual with another, there's no turning her back. If she completes it with that dragon slayer that was with her, he'll be turned permanently with her and no one will be able to control her."

Cana glared down at the man, her fingers twitching at the cards she held. "Where is the altar?"

"The town fountain."

Levy frowned. "You mean she would have to- to do _that_ in the middle of town? In front of every single person in town?!" She couldn't stop her ears from turning pink.

Ichiro shook his head. "The magic requires a blood sacrifice in addition to the end of her purity. The spell will tell her to kill everyone in town."

Gray blanched. "We need to find them. Now," he told them. "Lucy didn't care who she and Natsu hurt last night, and that included us. There's no telling what they'll do."

Erza frowned. "Agreed. We will split into two groups. Gajeel, Gray, and I will attempt to find and capture our friends. The rest of you take them back to town and start evacuations immediately. Get as many people out of town as soon as possible. The ritual is supposed to be completed tomorrow, but there is no guarantee they will wait until then to do so. We will make concerted effort to find them today. If we are unable to find them, we will return to the town tonight and prepare for their arrival."

Pantherlily nodded. "The injured can ride the cart while the rest can walk. Should we call the guild?" he offered.

She nodded. "Tell them of what is happening. I do not believe we will need more people to help capture them, but Master may think otherwise." Erza glared down at Ichiro and Kurai. "Make sure you watch these two closely until you are able to put them in magic-binding restraints. Do not release them into anyone else's custody, and find out how we can remove the darkness from our friends." She cracked her neck as she slipped her hands into her gauntlets and flexed her hands into fists as her eyes focused on the two Dai brothers. "If your information is anything less than truthful, we will not hesitate to make your existence a painful one." Finding pleasure in the fear that quickly flashed through Ichiro's eyes, Erza turned and moved into the forest with Gray and Gajeel moving with the same hard focus.


	32. Chapter 32

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**Author's Note: Things are a bit crazy on my end. I had a deadline move up on me, and the holidays are playing havoc on my ability to write. Also, I really wanted to take the time to say thank you to anyone and everyone who comments. They make me smile. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I truly appreciate it!**

**CHAPTER 32**

_Natsu inhaled deeply, and he savoured the heat of his flames as they flickered against his skin. As he exhaled, he stretched and rolled his head from one side to the other. His body was alive, filled with adrenalin and the surge of magic that raged through his limbs. It tingled at his fingertips, sparks playing as he rubbed his thumb and pointer finger together in small circles. His tongue pressed against his sharp canine and the corner of his mouth lifted in a cheekily dark grin. Looking up, his eyes lingered on the storefront's striped red and white overhang as the heat from his surrounding fires lifted the fabric. The wooden letters glowed as the flames from the two buildings that sandwiched the quaint little store jumped roofs to start their assault on the untouched building. Natsu took a deep breath, the air hot as oxygen slithered down his throat and filled his lungs, and his body dipped low into a strong wide squat. He let the oxygen feed the fire of his magic. The flames swirled around the air in his lungs, consuming greedily before pushing against his ribs and lungs as magic and flames swelled to overwhelm its container._

_And when his magic was consumed by physical flames, he released it in a steady torrent of heat and power into the innocent looking candy store. The force shattered the window and instantly melted the painted letters and glass. Sugar melted, caramelised, and then burnt in mere seconds as fire swept through the building. Flames filled every corner, reaching for any source of tinder it could find. Natsu snickered as he bent down and picked up a spared piece of vanilla taffy to pop it into his mouth, the flavours melting with the warmth of his tongue. He walked away with his hands behind his head and he whistled a little tune as he sent a little ball of flame here and there to add to the raging inferno he had created so easily._

_The sounds of crashing support beams echoed through the air, drowning the blast sounds that belonged to Loke and the frightened screams that resulted from the celestial spirit's attacks. He let his eyes move to the sky, which seemed to dance alive in hues of orange, red, and yellow. The sky glowed with the colour of his flames, as if he had set the heavens themselves on fire. Natsu let his body carry him to the fountain, barely registering the feeling of ash between his toes. The grit of blood and black ash stained his tanned skin, and he filled his lungs with the smell of burnt wood and flesh with each step towards the town's center. He released a small puff of smoke and took a short sniff of the air when he saw her thin silhouette. The aroma of coriander wrapped around him, and it further muddled his brain as his eyes glazed in hunger and lust. The hunger roared alive as it moved through his magic and settled into his heart. It drummed steadily in his ears in a dark and steady rhythm, reminiscent of a lullaby that was familiar. He growled, a low and wanting growl with teeth bared and tongue licking his lips in unabated yearning._

_Natsu moved with purpose, the flames surging alive as it announced his arrival when he stalked towards the town square. She sat quietly on the stone ledge of the great fountain, her focus on the statue that sat in the middle of the defunct water feature. As he neared, Lucy turned to face him. Her face lit up with a sinful smile, her skin glowing with the colour of the flames that surrounded them. She reached out her hand towards him, her fingers draping delicately. Natsu's eyes settled on her pristine fingers as he reached out for her with his dirtied hands, fingers covered with blood and soot. _

_Before he could grab her, to take what was his and his alone, another melody took him out of his daze. It moved steadily over the heat, though it was soft and almost unnoticeable with the deafening sounds of destruction around them. A golden ribbon materialized within his reach. It swayed and danced on the scorching air, alive as it twisted and twirled carefully in front of him. The drumming in Natsu's ears quieted, and he focused on the tenderness hidden in the melody. It sang to him, giving him pause at the familiar warmth that reached out for him. He felt Lucy grab his hand roughly just as his other hand grasped at the golden strand. Natsu snapped his head towards her, catching the fierce look of anger that filled her eyes, before a golden white light blinded his vision. The touch of her hand disappeared, and Natsu found himself wrapped in warmth and softness._

_Natsu blinked as he felt a sharp poke into his cheek. Once. Twice. Thrice. He swatted in its general direction before rolling away from the source and pulling a pillow closer to his chest. "Sleeping," he mumbled as he buried his head into the soft pink pillow. It was covered with the scent of vanilla, and he just wanted to spend his eternity surrounded by it. _

"_Natsu," she gently shook his shoulder as she laughed softly. "Natsu, don't make me kick you!"_

_It was her laughter that had him turning, the feathery sound that took him away from the sanctuary of warmth and vanilla without feeling any sense of loss. His heart hummed with glee as his dark eyes was met with the delighted sparkle of her brown eyes. His vision moved over her delicate face as she smiled at him, her lips curled ever so gently in that peaceful smile and her eyes glowing with quiet joy. Natsu looked down at his hands and in the span of a blink, he could see his hands covered in blood, burnt flesh, and soot. His fingers gripped at the light pink duvet that covered his lap and as he breathed out, they were clean. He turned his attention back to her, black eyes searching for a fading memory of something darker. His heart ached as he readied himself for the darkness to consume him, for the sultry lullaby that made his head hazy and his vision blurry until all he could see was what he wanted._

_The sunlight that slipped between the gap of her curtains highlighted the gold in her hair. It made her glow, but then again Lucy always seemed to glow in his eyes. Her head was tilted to the side, her long strands flowing easily over her shoulder._

_With a deep breath, Natsu took in the scent of her apartment, the comforting aroma of vanilla amongst her books and linens. It must have been a dream, though a nagging sensation warned him he was fooling himself. He forced his senses to focus on the soft cotton sheets that touched his skin, and it grounded him. In an instant, he flashed her a winning wide grin before his arms snapped out to wrap around the blonde. Her surprised squeak sent a delightful shiver through him, and all he could feel was pure happiness filling his heart. Natsu pulled her closer to his chest before he crashed back into the cloud-like haven that was her bed. "Too early to get up, Luce," he muttered into her hair._

_Lucy smacked his naked chest, her face bright red. "Stupid! We're too close!"_

_Natsu laughed, his chest shaking with mirth. The emotion cleared a haziness that dulled his senses. With her pressed close to him, his heart thumped steadily as he felt her light fingers pressing ever so gently against his chest. Her hands were warm. "We're partners, Luce. No such thing as too close, weirdo."_

"_Natsu," she nearly whined with an exasperated sigh, "you really need to understand personal space."_

_He grinned, white teeth shining as he pulled her closer with a wiggle and his arms settled under and over the natural dips of her curves. There was a brief flash of a dark and consuming hunger that made his magic flare. He ignored the dark echoes of screaming and roaring fire as he buried his head into her hair. The scent of her hair stilled his senses, and he was again surrounded by a calm only she could give him. He weaved his fingers through her hair and he sighed as he felt her drape an arm over his waist. A warm hand pressed against his back and her ear pressed over his heart. Natsu mumbled into her hair, "Can't we just stay here forever?"_

_She pulled away just enough so she could look up at him, her lips brushing against the warmth of his skin as she tilted her chin back. "But, don't you want to go on more adventures?"_

_His eyes moving over her glossed lips. "I'm good right here," he told her softly, dipping his head towards her as he pressed his lips against her forehead. The tempting notion of an adventure with Lucy paled in comparison to this moment. Natsu smiled as she called out to him in the faintest of a whisper, the sound of his name on her lips sent joy through him, and he pulled her closer._

_Lucy sighed, her body relaxing in his hold. "Natsu," she called out to him in a soft whisper against his skin. "I really want to go on more adventures with you." She paused then quickly added, "And Happy!" A dust of pink coloured her cheeks. Lucy sighed softly when he didn't respond. "I need you more than you could ever know." At her words, Natsu pulled away from her. She tilted her head back to stare into his eyes, her lips curling into a small sad smile. "I hate to say it, but I need saving this time. I can't do this without you. I'm only strong enough to do this much."_

_His brows furrowed as he pushed back against the sinister whispers that began to fill his ears. He flashed her a teasing grin. "Did you take an extra dose of weird this morning, Luce? You're not making any sense." His breath found itself trapped in his throat as she reached to place a gentle hand on his face. Her thumb traced a thin and tender line as it moved back and forth along his cheekbone. "Luce," he muttered. He felt his magic swell under her touch, and affection made way to the darker and more selfish emotions that he often tried to hide from her._

"_Natsu," she repeated, her voice soft and fading. "We can't stay here much longer. I believe in you. I have always believed in you. I know you can fight it and win."_

_The whispers grew in volume, and his magic flared in response. Natsu felt his vision blur as he felt a phantom grittiness cover his skin. His body shook, and Lucy pulled her hand away from his face. Sadness filled her eyes as they became wet with her tears. He buried his head into her hair, the scent of vanilla shifting to something more earthly. "I don't want to leave this," he mumbled as his hold tightened around her._

_Her voice was soft, a mere murmur under the eerie whispers of a lullaby that dulled his senses. "Don't forget. Please don't forget. I believe in you, Natsu."_

_He didn't get a chance to answer as the warmth of her bed disappeared with a single blink and he was again surrounded by fire and heat. Natsu rolled his head around, grinning as he heard the satisfying crack. With a lick of his dry lips, he stalked towards the town's fountain. His body ached, and the whispers told him reprieve could be found in the promise of ash and blood._


	33. Chapter 33

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**CHAPTER 33**

Natsu grunted as he rolled to his side. Grumbling, the sleepy haze began to lift as he shifted again only to find his nose getting tickled by a mildly scratchy yet soft fabric. His body sunk into the woolly cushions before the sounds of chirping and leaves rustling tweaked his eardrums. He yawned as he pushed himself to a seated position and moved a hand roughly over his face to wipe away the last traces of sleep. A few blink cleared the dryness by his eyes, and his vision began to clear as moisture moved over his irises. He found himself alone in a shallow cave, and Natsu couldn't help the frown that immediately overtook his facial expression. A brief moment of confusion in the clarity of the morning made him uneasy, and a wave of guilt and shame washed over him.

There were flashes of a memory – of the man who took Lucy away, of him sulking in his room, of the sounds of explosion rousing him from his thoughts, of Lucy in the grasp of Ichiro, of flames surrounding him, of the mansion set ablaze. Before he could grasp at the memories to make them clear, his head began to drum its steady rhythm and the sultry feel of magic wrapped around his own. It clouded his thoughts, numbing the clarity that overwhelmed him briefly until it was nothing but a faded sensation. The glimmer in his eyes that was solely Natsu gone as it hazed into a dull expression.

Before he could roll off the pink woolen cloud courtesy of Aries, the sounds of shuffling feet had his body tensing. His eyes narrowed at the silhouette of a pink haired celestial spirit. He could barely make out her face, the sun behind her casting her shadow over his body. He hissed. "Where's Lucy?" he demanded flatly, though his tone dripped with an imperious undertone. He pushed himself off the makeshift bed. With his feet firmly planted on the ground, he stretched his arms over his head and arched his back. The sounds of his back cracking echoed against the cold cave walls.

Virgo gave a curt bow, allowing a flash of annoyance at the condescension that seeped from his tongue to furrow her brow. The break in her usual stoic demeanor was hidden from his view by the strands of her hair and the shadows that covered her. A small silver platter was balanced perfectly over her hands, various meats and fruits arranged over the cool surface. "Mistress is by the river with Brother Leo," she told him, her tone carrying a subtle hint of wickedness.

He growled as he stopped by her side, his eyes glancing down at the platter in her hands. Natsu grabbed the charred turkey leg and took a large bite through the bone. "What the fuck is that overgrown kitten doing with her?" he grumbled mostly to himself. Bits of meat flew from his mouth as he grabbed a handful of grapes and shoved them into his mouth without even finishing the large bite. It filled out his cheeks as his teeth continued to crunch down on the bone and fruit.

She narrowed her eyes at the dragon slayer, disgust twinkling in her eyes as bits of flesh and fruit juice trickled down his chin. "The Mistress requested Brother Leo's presence while I washed her," she responded. When Natsu growled at her answer, she allowed the faintest hint of a sinister smirk to curl the edges of her lips. "Brother Leo is her most trusted spirit," she continued as if she didn't hear Natsu's displeasure, "and Mistress wished to speak to him of her next course of action."

Tossing the half-eaten turkey leg onto the silver platter, Natsu grunted. "Lucy doesn't need that fucking playboy whispering crap into her ear," he muttered. He sneered down at Virgo. He leaned forward when he watched Virgo's eyes twitch with displeasure, nose nearly touching her own. The smell of the celestial realm wrapped around him, something wholly indescribable though it carried a hint of Lucy's earthy aroma of coriander. "You don't like me very much, do you Virgo?"

Virgo narrowed her eyes briefly. "No," came the simple reply. "You are disgusting and unworthy of Mistress."

Natsu straightened and grabbed another turkey leg from the platter. He flashed her a toothy grin while his eyes twinkled dangerously. "Sucks to be you then because Lucy does," he told her. "Just clean up this shit. We're going to want to move as soon as I beat the crap out of that mangy excuse for a pussy cat."

Virgo's eyes narrowed at Natsu's retreating form. She tilted her head to the side and wondered just how displeased her Mistress would be if she chose to remove the dragon slayer from her side. The thought had her smiling – punishment was almost certain – though the thought of her Mistress' displeasure had her soon frowning. Virgo shook her head as she moved into the shallow cave and grabbed Aries' makeshift bed by its woolen corner. As she willed her gate to close, she felt the pull of her magic phase her into the celestial realm. The surge of magic filled her body, and Virgo snickered as she dropped the pink bed with a flop. Perhaps she would just keep the dragon slayer preoccupied so that Brother Leo could claim the Mistress as his own. Without the disgusting distraction, Mistress would be forced to take her celestial spirit. It would solidify the bond they already shared and would only increase their chances to be free of the confines of their world. The magic that moved through and around her flared at the thought.

. . .

Lucy sat at the very edge of the river, poised serenely on the largest smooth rock along the riverbed. She watched her lion spirit send a rib-cracking kick into the man's side. "That's enough, Loke."

At her words, Loke lowered his foot slowly. The water seeped back into his leather shoes and it re-drenched the fabric of his pants as soon as the hem broke through the slow moving surface of water. He turned to watch Lucy as she approached. The woman had called him and Virgo to join her while she cleaned herself by the river. In his presence, she had Virgo help her out of her gown and wash her with a river soaked washcloth. The sight of her curves had his mouth watering, and his eyes drank in every moment as the pink haired maid's hands moved steadily over Lucy's skin to wash it of soot and ash. The blonde had carried on their conversation as if she was clothed, though the mischievous look in her eyes made him want to order Virgo away so that he could have her to himself. The moment was interrupted when the man broke through the treeline. He stood there, his mouth agape at the sight of the naked celestial mage. Lucy only raised a brow, though she made no efforts to hide herself while Virgo only continued to move the soft washcloth over the curves of her breasts. It had taken no effort to subdue the man that dared to stare at her naked body. While Loke set out to punish the man for his impudence, Virgo dressed Lucy while the celestial mage watched Loke work until she released the virgin maid from her side to tend to the slumbering dragon slayer.

The celestial mage seemed to slink towards him, her hips swinging side to side with a slow and determined sway. The short pleated skirt lifted as a breeze moved through them, the rich red fabric reflecting off the water's surface. The thick strapped black crop top ended just below her bust, with her breasts nearly spilling over the edges of the sweetheart neckline. Her whip dangled on one side of her hip while her key pouch hung on the other. The choker remained around her neck, the stone shimmering a brilliant shade of red. Her hair was pulled into a tight braid, with the length of her braid wrapped into a low bun. A low and feral growl vibrated against his throat as she neared, and his heart skipped a momentary beat when she let her hand brush against his arm.

Her bare feet stepped over the smooth rocks just under the water's surface as she moved past Loke and moved to the center of the wide river. It was shallow, the water reaching only just above her ankles. The steadiness of her steps caused the water to splash with her movements, and she stalked towards the man who clutched at his ribs. She stopped by his head, shadowing his face from the sun as she stood above him. She kneeled down and took his chin into her slender fingers. The chill of the river tickled her legs. Tilting her head to the side with an innocent expression on her face, Lucy moved his head from side to side to examine the damage Loke had inflicted on the man. Dark bruises already began to form over both his eyes, and a deep gash ran from the back of his head over his left ear. Blood dripped steadily from his wounds and the water around him was tinged red. Silent until she let her eyes meet his, Lucy offered a shallow smile.

"You'll need to pardon my knight," she told him sweetly, breaking eye contact just long enough so she could share a smiling glance at Loke. Her voice was melodic. "I'd hate to see you suffer more under his hand. Perhaps it is time for you to start talking."

He sneered, daring to glare despite how his vision began to cloud with tears and a haze. His body trembled in her presence. "I've got nothing to say, whore," he hissed. He gathered the saliva in his mouth, his tongue inundated with the taste of iron. He spat in her face, feeling satisfaction overwhelm him as red splattered on her clean cheek. The feeling lasted a breath of a second; terror quickly overtook his senses. His skin tingled at the feel of a dark aura that surrounded the blonde. The corners of her mouth dropped slightly, though the smile remained on her lips. He caught the lift of her brow. Before his body could respond – to scramble away from her – he felt her hand grip the tangled mess of hair at the top of his head. He gasped to scream and instead felt his lungs fill with water.

Lucy sighed as she held his face just under the surface. With her free hand, she wiped her cheek clean. She turned her head to look up at Loke with a shake of her head. "Honestly Loke," she began with mock disappointment, "how long does it take you to break a simpleton like this?" She teased him darkly, a smile on her lips and a wicked spark in her eyes.

Loke smirked. "At least I'm not drowning him."

"Oh my!" she feigned embarrassment as she pulled roughly on the dark strands of hair to rip him out of the river. "Oh. I'm sorry. You were saying something?"

He coughed, the blood from his cuts diluted with the water the dripped easily over his head. "I- I don't know anything! I'm just a foot soilder!" he replied with panic. His skin prickled with goosebumps as the chill of the water only turned colder with a passing breeze.

She sighed. "Well, that's just disappointing. I really can't justify keeping you alive if you don't prove yourself useful." The look of panic only deepened on his face. "Though, should that be true, you'd still have an idea of his plans," Lucy mused after a pause, her eyes staring at him indifferently. "You must know what the plan was to be after he attacked the mansion."

He sputtered, the pause confirming what the celestial mage and the celestial spirit already knew. He didn't manage another word before his face was plunged into the river again.

Lucy glanced back at Leo as the head under her hand thrashed about. She ignored the flailing limbs that violently splashed her and drenched her new clothes. "Is he still asleep?"

Loke folded his arms stiffly over his chest at her inquiry. "No," he answered gruffly. "Though, Virgo tells me that he just woke up. I still think we should just leave him here."

Lucy shook her head as she lifted the head out of the water and stared down at the man. He hungrily gasped at the air, and his lungs stung with each intake of oxygen. After a few ragged breaths, she pushed his head back into the water. "I need him by my side," she replied. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, a devilish smirk playing at her lips. "Are you truly that jealous of a little old dragon slayer?"

He stiffened at her words, his shoulders snapping back as his spine snapped straight. Loke silenced the growl of irritation and possessiveness that began in the pit of his stomach, and his magic roared at the idea of a mere mortal being near the celestial mage. "I am your celestial knight," he responded simply. "I would never stoop so low to be jealous of a lowly lizard." Her laughter filled the air, and she stared at him with a knowing look. Loke bowed his head, his eyes never breaking contact as they met her dark gaze. "My only duty is to protect my Queen."

"As you always do, my sweet Loke." The sight of pink in her peripherals made her turn her head, and she watched as the fire dragon slayer approached them. The muscles on his tan arms flexed as he threw his hands behind his head, and he nonchalantly closed the distance between them. She caught the quick sideway glance he sent towards her celestial spirit, and Lucy smirked at the tightening of his lips. When his eyes settled on her, she greeted him with a small smile. "You're finally awake."

Natsu raised a brow once he neared her, the water around his ankles quickly warming against his skin. He shrugged. "What's going on here? Who do you have there, Luce?" His eyes lingered on the limp body that floating on the river. Lucy's fingers remained tightly tangled in the locks of dark hair as her grasp firmly held the stranger's head under water.

"My Queen, I believe you've drowned him." Loke smirked.

Lucy squeaked as she pulled the head out of the water. Her eyes moved over the drenched face. When she couldn't hear him breathing, she sent a hard slap to his cheek. She sighed when the man didn't move, so she slapped him again. The resounding smack reddened his cheek and his eyes snapped open as he took greedy and panic gasps. "No dying," she commanded darkly, "yet." Her eyes narrowed as her fingers tightened around the strands of his hair. She straightened, lifting herself off her knees. The man grunted and winced as the roots of his hair begged to be released. She returned her gaze to Natsu, who watched her with mild interest. "He stumbled in on me while I was washing," she replied. Lucy snickered at the soft mixture of a growl and a moan that reverberated over the river rocks. "I believe he's one of Ichiro's men."

"I'm not! I don't know who you're talking about!" he lied.

She sneered down at him. "I don't take kindly to liars," she warned dangerously.

Natsu regarded the man in her grasp. The man was reaching above him, grabbing onto her delicate wrist to loosen the grip she held. His eyes narrowed at the signs of shallow scratches and bruising on her delicate skin as the stranger tried to alleviate the pain that traveled through the roots of his hair. He stalked to the pair, grabbed him by the collar, and leaned in to catch a shallow sniff. "What do you know?" he growled, his tone low and heated as fire began to tickle the back of his throat.

He stilled, his hands gripping at Natsu's tight hold on his wet clothes. The chill that once surrounded him was quickly replaced with an uncomfortable heat that rose to a near skin-blistering sensation. "I- I don't know a thing! I swear!" he all but screamed. "We- we were supposed to attack Kurai, take her, and then go to town! I swear that's all I know!"

Lucy rubbed at her wrist. When she awoke, there had been a growing need to return to the town. His answer only served to spark her curiosity over the sensation. "Why?"

Shaking his head, he flailed as Natsu lifted him higher until his feet dangled. "I- I don't know! I swear!"

Loke moved towards the celestial mage and stood before her, gingerly taking her scratched and bruised wrist into his hands. His thumb drew soothing circles on her skin as their magic entwined and he smiled at the shiver that moved through her body as his skin touched hers. "As we had discussed, perhaps we should head into town, my Queen," he told her softly, his tone almost loving and reverent.

She nodded, her eyes lingering over his hand as she agreed. "I think that should be our next course of action."

Natsu dropped the man into the river, and he fell with a resounding splash. "What should we do with this guy?" Loke's proximity to Lucy had him flexing his hands into fists, but he contained the possessiveness that clouded his judgement. The voice in his head stilled him, warning him to bide his time.

The man cowered, crutching his side as three pairs of eyes considered his fate. He whimpered.

Lucy shrugged. "Knock him out and leave him here." She released a soft chuckle at the momentary look of relief that washed over his face before Natsu's hard fist slammed easily on the crown of his head. The sheer force had him crumbling into unconsciousness. Her brown eyes lingered over the dragon slayer as he moved towards her and stood close enough for his hot skin to touch her own. Natsu's unnatural warmth seemed to change the very nature of the chill in the air.

"So when do we leave?" Natsu asked, eyes glaring at the celestial spirit that stood in front of and far too close to the celestial mage.

"Soon," she replied. "I have a feeling we'll be encountering Erza and Gray again." The notion had her skin tingling with anticipation as her body readied to fight. Though, there was the briefest flash of guilt and worry that made her body shudder. Lucy's hand instinctively reached towards the center of her neck and her delicate finger stroked at the stone that vibrated against her throat. It pulsated under her touch and numbed the wave of emotions that threatened to confuse her. Lucy looked up at both men, her eyes drinking in the sight of them as their bodies warmed the space around her. Their magic reached out towards her, and her own responded in soothing bursts. The air began to swirl around the three as their magic continued to entwine. Her eyes floated towards Natsu as he and Loke seemly carried a private conversation through their hate-filled stare. Both men were tense, their bodies stiff and ready to snap into action. The tension made her giggle, and she tilted her head to the side innocently when Natsu broke eye contact with Loke to stare down at her.

"What?"

She shook her head, though she held his gaze for a moment. Her magic flared, and she smiled devilishly when she felt his respond. His skin warmed instantly, and a flash of hunger livened his eyes. "Natsu," she asked him softly, "what would you do if Erza and Gray got in the way?"

His dark eyes regarded her intensely as he mulled over the question. His heart stung briefly at the thought. The idea of hurting his friends, even the pervy excuse for a mage that somehow thought ice was better than fire – seriously, what a fucking moron, had him pausing. The muddled thoughts in his brain were starting to give him a headache. He closed his eyes as there was a flash of a memory of fighting both members of his team. His memory was clouded in red hot rage, though he could find no reason for it. The ache in his heart increased, and Natsu grunted in response as the burning sensation moved through his body.

Lucy frowned, her eyes watching the dragon slayer carefully as he rubbed his chest with the palm of his hand. His eyes were closed tightly with a furrowed brow that wrinkled his forehead. His magic faltered, pulsating against the aura that surrounded her. Sighing, she gently reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. "Natsu," she called out to him softly. Her voice soft and reminiscent of the kindness that she carried only days ago.

Her voice pulled him from the haze. The stinging disappeared almost instantly with her touch, the flash of memory disappearing in a fog that hid faces and events. His conflicted thoughts disappeared into a dark mist. Natsu's body straightened, tensing under her touch, and his eyes met hers.

The celestial mage remained silent, watching his reaction carefully as he righted himself. "I see," she muttered to herself.

Loke reached out and gently took Lucy's hand into his own. He pulled at her limb, hoping to pull her into him. "My Queen," he began softly, his eyes settling over her face, "perhaps it would be best to leave him here. It is clear to me that he isn't strong enough to protect you."

Natsu's fire threatened to flare into existence at his words. He hissed as he roughly grabbed Lucy's hand from Loke's grasp and pulled the celestial mage into him. "Shut up, cat," Natsu hissed as he pulled her into his grasp. His arm wrapped around her waist possessively, her body flushed against his own.

Magic swirling at his feet, Loke narrowed his eyes at the dragon slayer. "Unhand her, Natsu," he warned as blinding white light gloved his tightening fists. One of his legs slowly slid behind him, and his body readied to launch itself into the mortal that dared to touch what was his.

He snickered as he lowered his nose to nuzzle the top of Lucy's head, never once letting his eyes to leave Loke's intense gaze. The dragon inside him gleamed at the shiver that pulsated through her body and at the promise of a fight. "Or what?" he challenged with an incredulous laugh. "You couldn't beat me the last time. You really think you have any chance!?"

Lucy remained silent, her magic flowing steadily between the two. She sighed contentedly as she rested her head against Natsu's chest. The hum in his chest sang to her in a steady melody. The drumming of his heartbeat throbbed in tune with her magic. She smiled up at Loke as his eyes flickered to stare at her.

The sight of the celestial mage in his arms made his blood boil, and Loke released a long and low dangerous growl. He bared his teeth menacingly as Natsu guided Lucy to stand behind him. He watched as the dragon slayer's hands never left the softness of her skin as she moved, his rough fingers traveling over her waist and hips. He readied himself to pounce when the sound of clanging metal and pounding feet made his ears twitch.

"Lucy!"

"Salamander!"

"Loke!"


	34. Chapter 34

**[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]**

**NOTE: Thank you so much for your patience! Between holidays and birthdays (November to February is hell on my calendar), finding the time to write out this chapter was difficult. It also didn't help that I was having problems getting words on paper. It's so frustrating being able to see what you want in your imagination and not have it translate well into written word. This chapter is a fight scene – which is just not my forte – but I tried! There are a lot of players here, and I tried to keep things moving. It'll switch from one pair of fighters to the next pretty quickly, and it'll seem like there's a long gap between actions. There isn't; things are happening fairly simultaneously. **

**Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favourites. It's such a great incentive, and I just appreciate the extra boost of motivation. This was/is my first fanfiction in a very long time. It's been a bit painful getting back into the swing of it. Your kindness is very much appreciated!**

**Next to update will most likely be **_**Home to You.**_

**CHAPTER 34**

Lucy sighed softly as she regarded the three Fairy Tail wizards that rushed out of the tree line. Erza's armor glistened under the rays of morning sun as the three approached their position, stopping a safe distance away as the combined low and warning growls from Loke and Natsu stopped the approaching wizards from moving any closer. Their stances were stiff and ready at the defensive, despite the lack of a battle stance. Hardened expressions filled their eyes while their lips formed forced thin lines of caution. Her head tilted to the side as Loke and Natsu slowly moved to form a barrier before her, their magic at the ready as their bodies readied to leap at a moment's notice. She caught the spark of light and flicker of flame in their fingertips, and Lucy could barely contain the curl of her lips as she took her time meeting Gray's, Gajeel's, and Erza's questioning stern stares. She settled on meeting the redhead's hardened gaze last, her brown eyes twinkling with a dark mirth at the discomfort that hid under the battle-ready expression.

Silence filled the space among the six. The forest seemed to still around them, life leaving their general vicinity as the swirl of magic gathered around their bodies. It lingered on the stillness of the air, making it dense and heavy with energy. Only the sound of rustling leaves on the trees and the sound of slow moving water filled the space.

Without moving her head, Erza glanced down at the bloodied and bruised body that lay near Natsu's feet, blood diluting with the flow of water as it floated away from its source. Her hand tightened its hold around the grip of her sword as she raised her sight back to the three that stood tense and ready. Her heart ached at the look of anger and disregard that hardened the dragon slayer's and celestial spirit's eyes. Looking past the two men, her eyes stared deep into the dark brown eyes she had only known to be kind and full of compassion. Erza found nothing of the Lucy she knew, finding only wickedness in the void expression that graced the celestial mage's face. Her voice echoed over the rocks and filled the small clearing, "Lucy. We are here to take you home."

Lucy lifted a brow as she straightened her head and crossed her arms delicately under her chest. "I didn't realize I needed three of you to take me home," she mused with a dangerous twinkle in her eyes as her attention flickered from Gray to Gajeel before settling back to Erza.

"We were unsure if we would encounter more of Ichiro's men," Erza lied, her tone flat as she chose her words carefully. She caught the feral growl that reverberated deep from within Natsu's chest to echo into the clearing. It was deep and low, dangerous. Erza's ears caught the sound of Gray and Gajeel's feet slowly moving, and from the corner of her eyes she saw their bodies tense at the ready.

The blonde clicked her tongue disapprovingly as she made a show of shaking her head in disappointment. "Oh, Erza," she chided as if addressing a child. "I've never known you to lie."

Gajeel kept his stern gaze locked on Natsu. "It's not working," he said softly under a low growl. Natsu responded in like, his own feral growl pushing against the Gajeel's.

The sound of armor soft clanging filled the tense air as Erza shifted ever so slightly, a foot moving back as her wrist readied to lift the sword into the air. Subtly so not to draw attention to her movements, she shifted her weight to rest to her front feet. Mentally, she prepared to leap into a rush attack with the hopes that the battle would be quick and painless for all those involved. "My apologies, Lucy. I should have known you would see through such a weak fabrication," she replied. "I do, however, speak the truth when I said we are here to take you home. You, Loke, and Natsu are clearly not of sound mind, and we would be failing in our duties as your nakama to not take you home in your time of need. I implore you to come with us without aggression."

At that, Lucy laughed. The trilling sound of her glee was dark, chilling the three mages to the bone. "I am better than you think, Erza," she chuckled. "I'll admit that there are still pieces of the puzzle missing, but the picture is growing clearer with each passing moment. I don't know why, but I feel that all will be made apparent after tomorrow. I will not be returning home until I get my answers."

Erza frowned. "Please do not make us choose this course of action against our own, Lucy."

She shrugged. "Your misplaced sense of nobility is none of my concern, Titania." Lucy placed a hand on Loke's shoulder and the other on Natsu's. She closed her eyes and willed her magic to flow from the center of her being through her limbs. It slithered through her veins and swept through her fingertips through the fabric of their clothes and into their skin. She felt their magic reaching out to her, and in the blackness of her closed eyes, she could see the dark glow of her magic attaching itself to them. Something deep within her sprung alive when they connected, and she gasped as it surged through her body and coiled itself tightly around the strands that represented their respective powers.

Natsu and Loke closed their eyes in response. They each felt their magic reserves fill to the brim as her magic coursed through them, a soft whisper silencing any doubt that dared to break through its hold. A melody filled their ears, a steady and deep drumming that changed the beat their hearts. Heat and fire swelled around Natsu while Loke's skin began to glow in an eerie light.

"Watch it," Gajeel mumbled under his breath. He let his magic swell in his gut, allowing the pulse to collect through his limbs as he mentally readied himself to call upon his iron within a second's notice. Erza and Gray shallowly bobbed their heads in response as they prepared themselves. Their shoulders tensed at the sight of their three friends, watched as the aura around Lucy turned dark and deadly. When she opened her eyes, the air from their lungs stilled.

Black filled the white of her eyes and covered the diminished warmth of her brown irises. She regarded them with a hollow expression as she tilted her head a little to the side.

"Save them." It was barely a whisper, the words carried on the shortest of breaths through her thinly parted lips. The words were so soft and uttered without even the barest movements of her lips.

Gajeel's eyes snapped as he heard the pleading tone that vibrated against his eardrums. "Bunny girl?" he managed before Natsu and Loke sprang into action, leaping into the trio who dared to challenge them. The iron dragon slayer barely managed to plate his arm with iron before Natsu slammed his blazing fist into Gajeel's limb. The heat surged through the metal before his magic could take complete hold of his human cells, and he winced as the heat made his nerves come alive with pain. "Fuck!" he swore as he pushed the pink haired wizard back and took a long leap back. The distance allowed him a momentary reprieve from the heat. He pulsed his magic through his body and felt the familiar knitting of his muscles as they fully transformed to protect him in iron.

Natsu ran forward to close the distance and leapt into the air as he roared out, "Fire dragon's iron fist!" The fire that engulfed his hands grew as he prepared his fists to slam into the iron dragon slayer's face. He flew into the air, about ready to slam into Gajeel when the iron limb slammed deep into his stomach. Momentum carried him deep into the extended metal arm, and Natsu grunted at the force that knocked the air from his lungs. He felt the arm swing to the side to toss his body to the dirt. He scrapped along the smooth rocks of the riverbed.

Loke's fist aimed for Gray's head as he felt Lucy's magic snap at him to move. The drumming in his ears filled his senses as her magic coursed through his veins. He sneered at the ice make wizard as Gray stepped back to avoid the melee of punches.

"Loke, snap out of it, man!" Gray screamed as he ducked left to right to avoid Loke's lit fists. "Hey! I don't want to fight you!"

"That sounds like a personal problem," the celestial lion taunted as he stepped forward to plant his foot. He pulled his back leg and spun on the ball of his standing foot to send a swift roundhouse kick into the man's side. Loke didn't stop as Gray staggered back, advancing on the mage as he struggled to find an opening.

"Lucy!" Erza screamed out as she stepped to the side to avoid Loke and Gray's battle. She had rushed forward between the battle while her male counterparts handled Natsu and Loke. She bent back under the stream of flame and light that flared from Gajeel's and Gray's respective fights. Her eyes focused on Lucy, who remained unmoving in the center of the shallow river. The celestial wizard remained standing in a disturbingly blasé stance, a hand on her key pouch and the other sitting on her hip right over her coiled whip. The stance was deceptively casual for the battle that was before her, and it set Erza on edge. The vacant look in the blonde's face made her heart ache. It was so unlike the woman she had come to view as a sister.

The sound of Erza's voice drew Lucy's attention. She raised brow in Erza's direction as if she had just seen the requip mage, and uncaring eyes stared at the woman.

The redhead reached her unarmed hand out to Lucy, hope filling her heart that the mere touch of her hand would snap the celestial mage out of her trance. Her eyes stung with a tiny trail of tears as she ran, armor clanging with each step. A blinding light filled her vision before she could reach the mage. With her vision blinded, Erza felt a heavy object connect with her breastplate. The metal dented under its power, and she staggered back to fall on her buttocks with a heavy thud. Her lungs gasped at the sudden restriction that pressed into her breasts, a particular sharp edge digging into the skin right over her heart. Her eyes cleared the dots that invaded her vision, and Erza found herself under Virgo's stern gaze.

The virgin maiden's piercing blue eyes were hot with hatred and her short pink hair was messily styled. Her black maid undercoat and white frilled-trim apron billowed under the magic that she radiated from every pore of her materialized body. She remained before Lucy, her stance defensive with an arm extended out. Her other arm remained at her side, and she flicked her wrist to pull the chain whip back to her. The heavy iron ball attached at its end flew at her command and fell with a splash by her feet. "You shall not approach my Mistress, and I shall punish you for your insolence."

"Idiot! Stop trying to talk any sense into him!" Gajeel screamed at Gray as he ducked Natsu's kick. He watched Gray take another heavy hit from Loke's fist, and growled at the idiot. He grabbed the extended leg that was meant for his ribs. "He's not going to listen to you!"

Natsu smirked as he jumped up, leaning back into a tight spin as he pulled his free leg to smash into the iron dragon slayer's chin. The impact vibrated through his bones, but the shock had caused Gajeel to drop his foot. Natsu fell into a low crouch and sent a sweeping kick into the pair of iron legs in front of him. "Pay attention to your own damn problems, scrap metal. The perverts are busy with each other."

"I am not a pervert, charcoal breath!" Gray scowled as he clapped his hands together and summoned his magic to the palms of his hands. He felt it pull moisture from the air, felt water mingle with the chill of his magic, and felt ice began to form into the image that he had in mind. "Ice make sword!" he called forth as he pulled his hands apart. The sword appeared from his palms as he pulled them apart. He jumped back to give himself some distance from the celestial spirit. He moved to the side and spun his body to avoid another of Loke's attacks. He slammed the fuller of the sword into the spirit's back. "Dammit! Come on, Loke! I don't want to hurt you!"

Loke stumbled forward and turned his head to hiss angrily at Gray. "I don't give a damn you want." His eyes flickered momentarily towards Lucy as he felt her magic waver briefly as she watched the battle continue before her. He growled at the sight of Erza staring up at Virgo.

Erza knelt before Virgo as she stared up at the usually stoic maid. Her eyes flickered to the celestial wizard behind her, an ever growing frown gracing her lips. "I cannot believe this is you, Lucy. I know you to be kind and loving. You are the light of our family, and I will not lose you to the darkness."

"Do not dare to presume you are worthy of speaking to my Mistress," Virgo informed her hotly. "Your fight is with me."

"I do not wish to fight you, Virgo," Erza responded as she stood. Her silver armor disappeared in a quick shimmer. In its place was an armor of red, orange, and black. Metal flared out in shapes akin to flame and dragon wings. Her hair was tied high in a pair of long pigtails. Her gauntlet covered hand wrapped around the grip tightly as she brought the orange and red sword to her face. She pointed the edge to Virgo and herself, and she stared at the virgin maiden past the side of her blade. "You are a friend and family; however, if I must, I will fight you cut you down for your sake and Lucy's sake." The blade grew alive with fire as she screamed as she swung the blade through the air. Flames cut through the empty space and flew towards the celestial mage.

Natsu screamed as he jumped onto Gajeel's outstretched iron arm. As soon as his feet made contact with metal, he pulsed his magic to the balls of his feet as he yelled out, "Fire Dragon's claw!" Fire covered his limbs and it pushed him through the air. The fire dragon pulled his arms and legs together to cut through the air as his fire propelled him quickly towards the women. He ignored Gajeel's call to return to their fight as his eyes only focused on the blonde.

Loke watched in horror as the flame approached Virgo and Lucy. Lucy's magic flared in urgency as he watched an expression of desperation flash quickly through her black eyes. The magic that coursed through his veins demanded, begged, that he end the scuffle with Gray immediately. Turning his head, he pulled at her magic and let it course through his fingertips. His lit fists glowed an eerie dark purple and black as he charged towards Gray. "Dark regulus: Hammer of darkness!" he screamed as he sent his fists. Anger filled his body as he kicked Gray in the chest. With the ice make mage stumbling back, Loke ran towards the celestial mage and her loyal maid spirit.

Virgo stepped in front of Lucy as the pillar of flame approached her and she extended her arms protectively in front of the celestial mage. Natsu landed in front of Virgo. Instinct had him taking a wide stance and he inhaled the flames. Heat surrounded him, filling his lungs and warming his skin. He wiped his mouth clean with the back of his arm and sneered at Erza.

As Erza pulled her sword back and prepared to rush into the fight with the fire dragon slayer, Loke jumped when he neared the redhead and the dark aura around his fists grew in intensity as his rage fueled the power into the punch that plummeted into the requip wizard's back.

Gray and Gajeel were only a second too late, and she screamed as the heat and magic of Loke's punch penetrated her armor. They hurried in her defense. Gray took Loke by the shoulders and tossed him off her with a heavy thud. Gajeel caught the chain whip and iron ball that was sent into her direction and snapped it with a simple flick of his iron wrist. Gray moved to Erza's other side and stood at the defensive as Gajeel lifted Titania to her feet. The trio looked angrily at Loke, Natsu, and Virgo.

When their combined gazes fell to Lucy, Gajeel couldn't help but growl in annoyance. Frustration was mounting as fresh bruises, cuts, and scrapes marred their flesh. All the while, Lucy had remained passive as her spirits and her partner handled the dirty work. All of it was wrong, and the iron dragon slayer was finding it harder and harder to control himself as his anger threatened to turn him uncontrollable.

The celestial mage sighed softly. "I thought this would be over by now," she mused with a disappointed tone.

"Don't be like that, Luce. This is fun." Natsu turned his head briefly to give her a cheekily dark grin. The look Lucy gave him had him recoiling inwardly. Her magic pulsated steady, though it wavered as her black eyes remained on him. He felt the ripple, and in that brief moment of a second, guilt and doubt overwhelmed him.

She rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her spirits. "I am in no mood to play. Let's be done with this. Bury them." At her command, Loke leapt forward while Virgo disappeared into the earth.

"Kill her, Natsu. I'm done watching you toying around." She watched as Natsu's head snapped back at her before moving back to watch Erza push Gray and Gajeel away from herself as Loke neared. His body tensed as he prepared to pounce, but his body stilled. His heart drummed differently from the rhythm of her magic. Doubt had his fire flickering. Something was wrong, but Natsu could not understand the jumble of emotions that tried to roar against the muted fog that overwhelmed him. He felt a golden warmth trying to surge into being, but the dark barrier held.

Lucy frowned at the hesitation but said nothing.

The celestial spirit flew straight into Titania. Her magic sprang into action, replacing the dented red and orange armor for silver. Feather-shaped plates pointed towards the sky, a large piece of metal bent into the shape of a flower extended along her hips. She threw her large feather-shaped edged gauntlets to protect her face and skidded back with the force of Loke's magic covered fists.

Virgo appeared behind Gajeel, dirt and river rocks thrown in all directions as she jumped out from the ground. Her legs wrapped around his large trunk-like waist, and her arm slithered under his chin to bind around his neck. She tightened her arm around his throat as he remained rooted in place.

He smirked as he tightly gripped the arm under his chin. "Not going to work, you pathetic excuse of a masochist. My neck's made of iron." Gajeel ripped her away from his body, swinging the spirit over his shoulder and threw her straight across the clearing. He snorted as she smashed into a three and splintered it in half, watching as her body began to shimmer as her physical body began to dematerialize.

Loke ducked as Erza swung her sword in his direction. Before he could snap his fist forward into her gut, Gray stepped forward and grabbed his arm. Scowling, he slammed an ice-coated fist into the celestial spirit's gut and swung his body out of Erza's way.

Titania bounded forward towards Lucy, watching as the fire dragon slayer's arm protectively kept her firmly situated behind him as he led her back with the subtle gesture. He planted his feet as he let the fire swell in the center of his stomach. "Fire dragon's roar!" he screamed as he released the heat in the pit of his being. It ignited as it met oxygen, releasing in wild expansive flame towards the armor clad woman.

Erza scowled at the flames that moved towards her and her magic immediately changed the composition of her armor before the flames could reach her. She planted her feet firmly into the ground as she crossed her arms over her face. The bulky and dark coloured armor warmed as flames met metal. Her feet dragged through the rocky surface as the vigor of Natsu's flames forced her back. Gajeel soared high from behind her body, protected from the flames by Titania's adamantine armor.

"Iron dragon's club!" he called out. His arm transformed into a steel club as he flew into the air, and it extended quickly in front of him.

Natsu was knocked back into Lucy as the flattened club of an arm pushed deep into his chest. The two flew until gravity had them skittering across the rocks and water. Natsu growled as he stood up, staggering at the deep bruise that filled his muscles with pain, and stared at Gajeel and Erza.

"Handle them, Natsu," she commanded. He looked back at her as she focused her black eyes on him. She caught it, another ripple of doubt. "You said you would do anything for me. Show me." The darkness within her roared alive. It coiled tightly around him.

Lucy pushed herself up and her hand immediately moved to her pouch of keys. Her eyes fell to Loke. At every attempt to reach her, Gray would interrupt and stand in his way. She pulled at her magic, and Loke's head snapped at the undulation in the air around him.

He snapped his head to Gray. "I'm done with this," he growled. He couched low as Gray threw another punch at his head. With a twist of his body, Loke sent a darkly lit fist into his stomach. As the ice make mage doubled over from pain, the celestial spirit sent a foot straight into his knees. The snap of his kneecap and the resounding scream of agony provided a momentary reprieve to the rage that moved through the celestial lion's body. With another growl, his foot flew into a crescent kick straight into the raven haired man's head and Gray blacked out as his head slammed against the surface of a large rock.

"Gate of the golden bull, I open thee. Taurus," she called forth calmly. Lucy remained seated on her side, her outfit soaking the flowing water as the cold chilled her skin. She felt the pull of her magic as light appeared next to her. The giant humanoid bovine appeared, his double bladed battle axe at the ready. The tips of his horn glistened his eyes narrowed upon the iron dragon slayer and the requip mage who approached side-by-side.

Jumping high into the air, Taurus moved his axe above his head and swung it forward. The blade sliced through the air, magic swelling into the blade as it hit the ground. The earth divided as the sharp edge carved through the surface, and the deep crack travelled quickly to split Gajeel and Erza apart. Rock and dirt rained over them. "I will not let you come near my Mistress' booooo-dy!" he bellowed as he swung the massive weapon upon nearing the iron dragon slayer. Metal clashed upon metal.

Erza locked eyes with Natsu as he rushed forward to meet her. She readied her sword as he widely swung his arm during his leap. It hit her blade, sparks flying as his flames left thin chips and a charred dent in the metal. They moved around each other, bobbing and weaving as they attacked and deflected. Eyes remained locked in concentration as they fought for the advantage.

"I won't let you hurt Luce," Natsu growled as he held Erza's blade between his hands. He sent his fire into his palms and charged the heat to warm the metal. It bent at his will, and he sneered gleefully as she jumped back.

The redhead scowled at the melted blade before she tossed it to the side. "We are trying to save her," Erza replied hotly. "We would never hurt nakama. You know this." She twirled as he flew to kick her and slammed her armor plated elbow into his stomach as Natsu narrowly missed her. He fell with enough energy to create a tiny crater under his body.

Natsu rolled away from her descending foot, scrambling to stand. She reached him with a single long stride, and sent her gauntlet covered fist deep into his stomach and under his rib cage. The air left his lungs in a rush. He stumbled back down and Lucy's empty black eyes were the last thing he saw before Erza slammed a hard fist on top of his head to effectively render him unconscious.

Loke reached the celestial mage's side the moment Natsu's body hit the ground. "My Queen, it is time we retreated," he prompted her with deceptive composure.

Lucy stood, water dripping from her soaked clothes, and watched as Titania bent down to check Natsu's pulse. The redhead remained kneeling as she turned her head to stare at Lucy. Her hand carefully took hold of her coiled whip, but she didn't release it from the clip on her belt even as Erza stood to face her. The celestial mage turned her vacant gaze towards Taurus as the humanoid stumbled back to barely miss the swing of Gajeel's plated arm.

Erza moved while Lucy watched Gajeel and Taurus. She leapt forward, swinging the sword that appeared in a flash within her hand when her magic called for it.

The celestial lion grabbed his summoner by the waist in an instant. His body curled around her as he twisted her away from her position and tucked her protectively into him as he rolled their entwined bodies away from Erza's plunging blade. He jumped to his feet with Lucy pressed protectively to his chest, one arm cradling her back and the other under her legs, as he glared at the redhead before running towards the tree line.

Lucy leaned back to peer over Loke's arm as he carried her. She watched the final moments of the battle – watched as Taurus pushed Gajeel away enough to interrupt Erza's pursuit. The large iron-studded wizard tried to take off after the retreating pair, but Taurus maneuvered between the redhead and Gajeel. The blades of his axe sparked as it hit iron and steel. As black faded to reveal the white of her eyes and the brown of her irises, Lucy's attention lingered on Natsu's unmoving body. A heaviness fell on her heart before the familiar snap of magic distracted her. Just as Loke pushed through the first layers of foliage, her eyes caught the shimmer of Taurus' gate closing and the darkness that greedily claimed her magic subdued the emotions that threatened to unravel its hold.


End file.
